Barcelona will once again reaffirm itself this August as one of the main global capitals of LGTBIQ+ tourism thanks to the Circuit Festival, which celebrates its fourteenth edition. This international benchmark event organized by the Barcelona-based company Matinée Group expects to attract more than 60,000 people this year, slightly exceeding the number of attendees in 2022. The festival has led to the direct hiring of 500 people and more than a thousand indirectly.
Over eight days, from August 5 to 13, house and electronic music parties will take place in emblematic nightclubs in the city, such as Razzmatazz, Down Town, Input Club (in Poble Espanyol) and Safari, although the central event, on Saturday, August 12, will be held at the Gran Via venue of Fira de Barcelona. Along with the marathon nocturnal sessions, energized by the most recognized international DJs of the gay scene, Circuit also organizes daytime pool parties at the Go Beach Club complex (in Port Forum) and at the Illa Fantasia water park (in Vilassar de Dalt), where the festival's most iconic and massive party takes place every year, with 10,000 people dancing in the central wave pool.
It is estimated that 80% of Circuit attendees are international tourists, coming from more than 80 countries and with an average daily expenditure of around 250 euros per person, not counting accommodation which, mostly, is in hotels and apartments in the city, which contributes very significantly to increasing the city's hotel occupancy rate. "Circuit is the most important LGTBIQ+ festival in the world and crowns Barcelona as a tourist reference," say Matinée, after pointing out that the event not only energizes the center of Barcelona, but also different neighborhoods such as Poblenou, Besòs and Sants-Montjuïc.
Matinée highlights that Circuit has become "an annual pilgrimage site" for gays from all over the world who seek to enjoy their holidays for a few days and the music they like most in a space of freedom and tolerance like the one they find in Barcelona. In this sense, they emphasize that many visitors come from countries where homosexuality is still penalized and persecuted, such as China or Arab countries, which are in the top 10 of the ranking by origin. Other reference countries in terms of number of attendees are the United States, Taiwan, South Korea, Qatar, Kuwait, Israel, Brazil and Colombia.
Of the twelve parties scheduled, the "sold out" sign has already been hung, for example, for the night session of Water Park Day. The event at Illa Fantasia starts at ten in the morning and lasts until five in the morning, with the performance of a dozen DJs such as Flavio Zarza, Enrico Meloni, or Phil Romano. There are also no tickets left for the Pervert party at Razzmatazz on Thursday the 10th. In addition to Matinée's own sessions, creator of brands such as Pervert and La Leche, the festival's lineup includes parties from other international promoters such as Forever Tel Aviv (Israel), Megawoof (United Kingdom), Rápido (Netherlands), Guapo (Brazil), and Papa (Israel). Other DJs who will set the rhythm of the Circuit are GSP, Abel, Allan Natal, Allison Nunes, Anne Louise, Chris Bekker, Karsten Sollors, Mor Avrahami, Sagi Kariv, Pagano, or Tom Stephan (formerly Superchumbo), among others.
Founded by Manolo Soria 26 years ago, the Matinée group has become a global benchmark in leisure for the LGTBIQ+ collective from Barcelona, as throughout the year, it organizes themed parties in dozens of international capitals through the Matinée World Tour. Along with the Circuit, its other major annual event is the Matinée Easter Weekend, during Holy Week, and Circuit Asia, which will be held in Thailand from June 7 to 9, 2024.