For some years now, "tardeo" has been a concept of afternoon-evening leisure based on gin and tonics and meetings with friends that takes place rather spontaneously in cities and towns of various latitudes, both in Catalonia and in other parts of Spain. In reality, the well-known "tardeo" is in other places in Spain a rather massive phenomenon that occurs in bars with post-lunch with friends or with co-workers after the workday. For Fundéu, this activity is defined as "going out for tapas or drinks in the afternoon", whatever day of the week it takes place.
And when did it start? After the word tardeo appeared in the news, this custom has become popular and spread to countries like Spain and Colombia, to designate afternoons surrounded by tapas and drinks combined with other recreational activities, so that traditionally nocturnal leisure advances its schedule. Well, now, this custom has landed in Barcelona in the form of a business initiative by the hand of the eponymous event organization company El Tardet, by Ignacio Páez and Javier Constantino, from Córdoba and Cádiz, respectively. According to the former, these two entrepreneurs arrived "more or less at the same time in the city", became friends and realized the need to set something up because, for example, they would go to eat and then couldn't find an atmosphere to continue the party.
We are the friend who gets your afternoon going and Better 'tardet' than never are some of the slogans of this initiative. Specifically, according to Páez, the project started in October 2019, unfortunately a few months before the pandemic, with the aim of organizing "tardeo" events in the city and thus filling a gap that did not have much commercial exploitation. Despite the dark months that the global pandemic brought, the Barcelona "tardeo" is still going strong four years later.
"We started on Tuset Street, an area well known for its nightlife and full of bars," Páez explains. This was the area they frequented as clients and, having the idea, they began to organize events in a bar and invite people, which led to the community they have today.
According to Páez, the community's growth has been organic, and currently there are many people, with a profile of young adults between 25 and 35 years old, who are in Barcelona, want to meet people, are open, want to enjoy themselves, are a bit mischievous and rowdy, and want to listen to live music in a healthy environment, as well as flirt "face to face."
On Tuset street, they added different spaces, and despite the health crisis, both the brand and the public have grown, positioning the initiative as a "benchmark" for adult leisure afternoons in the city, he argues. Right now, every Saturday they energize these gatherings, from early afternoon, in different venues on Tuset streets, such as Jaleo, Enrollao, Gaia, and La Biblio. Páez warns: "This evening party, you know when it starts, but never when it ends," he explains.
Barcelona, like Madrid or Valencia
"We believe that Barcelona lacked an initiative of this type because, except in tourist areas, for local people in Barcelona there was no option in the afternoon," he says. "We have revolutionized the concept; it was about time Barcelona resembled cities like Madrid, Valencia, or Alicante, where the 'tardeo' (afternoon party) is important and increasingly popular," he points out.
Regarding the eventual extension of the initiative to other parts of the city, for them Tuset is the reference street for their public and has a lot to offer because there are nightclubs where you can continue afterwards if your body holds up. However, he warns that they do not stop innovating, that they have novelties such as a new line called Tardeo Experience, dedicated to corporate events to give them a twist and achieve more engagement from the team in the workplace, because since the pandemic and with teleworking everything has become "more complicated" in companies.
The importance of surprise elements
And in practical terms, what does a "tardeo" consist of? Well, the dynamic of their events includes constantly introducing surprise elements, with ingredients such as live music of different styles; playlists of current songs, but also classics; games with prizes to bring luck to the participants, and, of course, people eager to enjoy themselves and a pleasant atmosphere to have a good time with friends.
"Additionally, and punctually throughout the year, we organize epic afternoon parties with a certain theme," emphasizes Páez, who gives examples of various ones such as Carnival, or those called La Feria, La Colorada, La Revuelta, and Halloween, among others. They also hold some other party "with a differential feature" in terms of their conventional afternoon parties. "In this case, we move to locations with greater capacity, where surprises, good people, and good vibes are guaranteed," he says.
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