The Cruïlla is danced: the festival premieres a stage dedicated to dance

The Cruïlla is celebrating, as the festival celebrates its 15th anniversary this edition. And it does so with novelties and premieres, with a strong point: the new stage dedicated to dance. Commissioned by Brodas Bros, the Bonpreu Esclat stage will also become a fashion runway and will host an exhibition of projects by young designers from the Escola Superior de Disseny (ESDi).

The new space, which will be located in the area almost touching the sea in Parc del Fòrum, will offer DJ sessions, dance battles and performances by groups such as The Ruggeds and The Concept Cuba, in addition to Brodas Bros, as announced by the director of Cruïlla, Jordi Herreruela, at the presentation of this year's festival at El Molino, alongside the mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni.

All this in an edition that will feature prominent events such as the Love of Lesbian & Amics concert, in which Maria Hein, Alizzz, José Madero, Figa Flawas, Marc Gili, Dorian, Maruja Limón, Maika Makovski, David Ruiz of La M.O.D.A., Valeria Castro, Viva Suecia or Cala Vento will participate on Saturday, July 12. A day earlier, Love of Lesbian will offer a second concert presenting their new album as part of their current tour La hermandad tour.

The festival, which will kick off on July 9, will begin with a night dedicated to the youngest audience and starring the popular Gracie Abrams, as well as the Norwegian girl in red or the Mexican NSQK. A day that will also feature the voices of emerging Catalan artists such as Barcelona's Lia Kali and her urban rhythm, Mallorca's Maria Hein or Gaviota.mp3. The second night will go punk with the legendary The Sex Pistols, and it will also be the turn of Mr.Kilombo, Fermin Muguruza, Seu Jorge, and Annie Clark.

Big international names will take over the festival on Friday, with 30 Seconds to Mars, Sharleen Spiteri, Texas and Crystal Fighters, as well as Ben Harper who returns to the festival after being part of its first edition, Leon Bridges, and the Africa Express project. Saturday will be the turn of the iconic Alanis Morissette and the rockers Kaiser Chiefs, along with Viva Suecia, the Hermanos Gutiérrez, León Benavente and Pau Vallvé, among many other artists.

All of them fill a tight lineup, which will be complemented by an artistic aspect with installations such as the luminous creations of Calidos and the constructions of Antigua i Barbuda, in addition to the luminous installation of the OFF Llum Barcelona festival. Furthermore, in this edition, the festival will incorporate accessible bars and a calm space for people with neurodiversity or sensory overload, in addition to maintaining measures from other years such as elevated platforms, adapted restrooms, or sound reduction earplugs and vibrating backpacks.

"The most local of festivals"

With these 15 years of Cruïlla behind him, Herreruela has taken stock of the festival, which has positioned itself as one of the city's major events. "We have created a unique and singular identity," claimed the director, who believes that Cruïlla demonstrates that it is possible to offer large events in the city "aimed at the local public."

This unique hallmark of Cruïlla is characterized by a "friendly" face, according to the mayor: "It is the friendliest festival from the point of view of the audience that attends, it is more relaxed, there is more space and it is very mindful of the impact on the city and its cultural ecosystem."

In fact, according to the mayor, Cruïlla "is the most local of festivals because of what happens on stage and also below it," which is why the event has consolidated itself as "a meeting point for Barcelonans and Catalans."