The Jardins Pedralbes Festival kicks off, one of the summer events that resists covid

In a summer where many musical events will still not return, the Jardins Pedralbes Festival maintains its commitment to the city, just as it did a year ago, becoming one of the few that took place. Its director, Martín Pérez, summarizes everything the previous edition entailed with an anecdote. After any concert or festival, people usually congratulate him if everything went well. But last summer, the word they repeated most was not "congratulations." It was "thank you."

The collective gratitude translated into numbers: all programmed tickets for five of the six weeks it lasted were sold out. This change in public attitude is the natural response to the context caused by the pandemic, after experiencing such an exceptional situation that no one could have imagined it. For this reason, Pérez does not hesitate to say that the new edition of the Jardins Pedralbes Festival —the ninth— will once again contribute to enjoying a "great summer," probably the last summer before putting an end to this forced hiatus that COVID has brought.

With Banco Sabadell, Cervezas Alhambra, Seat, Casa Viva, and Mesoestetic as sponsors, the Jardins Pedralbes Festival will continue to offer its musical and gastronomic proposal at the Palau Reial, expanding it to ensure that the necessary distances are maintained.

From 7:30 PM, attendees will be able to have a drink or dinner before the concerts begin in nine designated areas. Flash Flash, Il Giardinetto, Mr Kao, Pizza del Born, Ametller Origen, Makito, Ostres Thierry, Imperia Foie Gras, and Sauleda Pastissers will be in charge of enlivening the atmosphere with their dishes. There is no doubt why attendees at this cultural event stay for an average of more than four hours.

With a budget of four million euros, Pérez emphasizes that a festival of these dimensions "would never be possible" without the support of sponsors like Banco Sabadell, even more so with the current crisis. The executive sees that the festival sector has been "very damaged" after the pandemic, causing many promoters to disappear. "It has been a massacre," he laments. In their case, he assures that the availability of their own resources and the loyalty of sponsors is what has allowed them to continue programming.

Tickets sold out for 14 shows before starting

So as not to disappoint the people of Barcelona, the Jardins Pedralbes Festival will bring together a total of 36 musicians over 42 nights, starting next Tuesday. "Prestige, quality and eclecticism," says Pérez to find a common thread that encompasses all the artists he convenes. With this commitment, the ninth edition of this cultural event has already sold 51,000 tickets and has put up the Sold Out sign for 14 of the 36 shows.

For Pérez, the reception they are having exceeds all expectations. At this point, having sold more than 70% of all tickets is almost a miracle. It could perfectly be the figure that would be achieved at the end of the festival under normal conditions, taking into account that it lasts many days and programs many concerts. Even more so if one takes into account that the strong days for ticket sales, which are those before the festival begins or when it is already underway, have not yet started.

The ninth edition of the festival has already sold 51,000 tickets, more than 70% of all available seats

One of the most anticipated nights of the Jardins Pedralbes Festival, and which is already completely sold out, will be June 2, with the performance by Sara Baras. This evening will host the third edition of the Solidarity Night, which will allocate all resources obtained to the Sant Joan de Déu Pediatric Cancer Center Barcelona, a new pediatric oncology center that plans to open its doors in early 2022 thanks to contributions like this.

On the other hand, the festival has added a second space dedicated to the concerts that precede the main ones, with the aim of spacing out the audience. This year, a hundred emerging groups will perform. For those who only want to enjoy this part of the festival, there will be tickets for seven euros, with a drink included.

Measures for covid

Beyond the expansion of the dining areas and a second space for concerts by emerging artists, the Jardins Pedralbes Festival has planned other measures, such as taking temperature before entering, the obligation to wear a mask and to keep applying gel. There will also be closed circuits to move inside the venue.

The capacity will continue to be limited, with 1,700 seats out of a total of 2,500 for sale. This will translate into empty chairs on both sides for each cohabitation bubble.