The Flors al Mercat festival brings spring to Barcelona

Barcelona once again enjoys sunny days. After a couple of weeks in which clouds had invaded the city's sky, the sun has once again taken center stage and, with it and the longed-for time change, the Catalan city is already breathing a spring atmosphere. To celebrate the arrival of this season, the Flors al Mercat festival will fill Plaza Margarida Xirgu, in the Poble-sec neighborhood, from April 5 to 6 with florists, nurseries, and artisans, an essential event for plant lovers. The objective of this event, which is held once a year with the arrival of spring, is to create an outdoor space to disseminate and learn about the natural world, being the first completely vegetarian festival.

In its sixth edition of Flors al Mercat, the event brings together more than seventy professionals and artisans, from different florists in the city, who will sell bouquets, plants, and terrariums. Among the establishments, one can find everything from plants adapted to the local climate, like Plant Büro, creations with dried and preserved flowers, like Núria Serra Art i Flors, and even plantable gifts with VerdeRaiz, with DYI cultivation kits, plantable paper, or root bombs.

But, in addition, the event also brings together craft businesses made or inspired by nature, with products such as natural cosmetics, botanical illustrations, perfumes and candles, watercolors with natural pigments, nature-inspired jewelry, decoration with vegetable fibers and ceramics or vases for plants. Among the artisans, one can find varied proposals such as Chojnacka, a plastic artist who explores the connection between nature and color, or Materia Rica, an artisan and sustainable jewelry brand with designs inspired by nature, as well as the natural and vegan cosmetics from Taller de Alseide.

Gastronomy and activities for all audiences

In Plaza Margarida Xirgu there will also be a family space with children's workshops and a play area for the little ones. During the day, children can enjoy games with natural elements such as pinecones, experimentation with aromatic plants to discover with all the senses, as well as creative activities such as drawings, printing with leaves and flowers, and a reading corner with simple stories and illustrations.

The festival also offers a space to resolve doubts with Marta Rosique, from Plantea en Verde ---a didactic platform with courses, content, and products to take care of your garden---, and learn how to revive that plant that just won't grow. On Sunday, from 10 am to 8 pm, attendees can even bring a photo of that plant that resists them at home, and Rosique will try to analyze the best solution.

Alba Núñez, from Verdopolis, will offer sessions throughout the day on Saturday where she will address simple and effective propagation techniques to learn how to transplant a plant correctly and make the process a success. During the workshop, Núñez will offer live demonstrations to apply each propagation technique and be able to care for plants as they grow.

In addition to flowers and plants, the sixth edition of this festival will also feature a varied offer of vegan and sustainable gastronomy ---as well as options suitable for coeliacs--- for those who decide to extend the day and enjoy all the hours of the festival, as it will remain open from 10 am to 8 pm. From vegetable paellas to vegan Mexican tacos, as well as kebabs or falafels, not forgetting the trendy smash burgers, but in their plant-based version. To pair these varied options, you can also enjoy organic wines, kombuchas or vermouths.

Likewise, the festival will also bring together producers of vegan proposals, such as nut creams from Go Nuts for Nats or vegan and organic cheeses from Veggie Karma. During the event, there will also be no shortage of sweets, with options such as Tanu Bombonería, which makes its desserts with gluten-free, lactose-free, and sugar-free vegan chocolate, or Areca Bakery, with a wide variety of cookies, donuts, or pistachio cinnamon rolls, carrot cake, or tiramisu.