Blanes Fireworks—Focs de Blanes
July and August are vacation and festival prime time in Spain, and the Costa Brava is no exception. The International Fireworks Competition in Blanes, also known as Focs de Blanes, is one of the coast’s most famous, memorable… and very, very loud.
July 26 in Blanes is Saint Anna’s Day, which crowns the weeklong celebrations of Blanes festa major, a popular holiday in most Spanish towns and villages. Traditional Catalan amusements like the castellers (human “towers”) or dancing the sardana are part of every festa major, but in Blanes, fireworks are king—and have been for a while.
The history of the Blanes International Fireworks Competition
Back in 1891, a local writer complained of the hardships of getting back to work after late-night celebrations with wine, music, and fireworks. Blanes likely hosted fireworks shows even before that, even though there aren’t any written records to prove it. In the 20th century, the long-running tradition of marking Saint Anna’s Day with fireworks was interrupted only between 1936 and 1943, for understandable reasons. In 1944, despite World War II still ongoing, the fireworks show returned to Blanes for good.
The 1960s beach tourism boom in Spain promoted healthy competition among the popular seaside towns. Local tourism boards, in a bid to attract more visitors, came up with exciting ideas for events and festivals. The municipality of Blanes established an annual international pyrotechnics competition in 1970. Its events would coincide with the July 26 celebrations, of course!
The spectacular rock Sa Palomera, one of Blanes’ prime natural attractions, serves as the backdrop to the fireworks shows. This is where the coast of Costa Brava traditionally begins, stretching to the northeast from this picturesque point marked by the Costa Brava Portal monument.
Blanes International Fireworks Competition rules and prizes
The competition is open to any organization or private citizen of any nationality. A technical expert committee reviews all applications, the applicant portfolios, and the proposed programming of the shows in mid-spring to select four participants out of the large applicant pool.
The participant roster is usually announced in early June. In line with tradition, the winner of the previous year’s competition joins the selected four for a chance to defend their title. Each finalist is awarded a stipend, paid for by the municipal government of Blanes.
Once the competition comes to a close, two judging panels—an expert one and a “people’s choice” one—vote for the winner, who is announced on the evening of July 27. The coveted silver trophy, Trofeo Vila de Blanes, decorated with semi-precious stones, together with the honour of participation in the following year’s competition, is the grand prize.
Blanes Fireworks Competition in 2026
In 2026, the Blanes International Fireworks Competition will illuminate the coastal skies on July 22-26, 2026.
Blanes Fireworks Competition 2026 participants
The winner of the Blanes International Fireworks Competition in 2025 was Pirotècnia Valenciana, a five-time consecutive champion of the Blanes Fireworks festival.
Other participants of the 54th International Fireworks Competition in Blanes in 2026 will be announced shortly.
Where to stay in Blanes for the Fireworks Competition
The organizers of Focs de Blanes quote impressive visitor numbers during the fireworks. Daily (or, rather, nightly) attendance is estimated at 150,000 people, which is three times the size of the population of Blanes proper. Half an hour before the fireworks begin, the town beach gets more crowded than ever in the daytime.
Well–priced accommodation is a hot commodity for the duration of the festival. If you want to stay in Blanes proper between July 23-27, book your accommodation early. This number one tip for planning any trip to Costa Brava in the summer applies here in spades.
Blanes’s relative proximity to Barcelona and the railway connection it enjoys, unlike more northern coastal towns, makes planning a little easier. If you don’t mind driving in or taking a train on the day of the fireworks show you want to attend, hotels in Lloret de Mar and even accommodation in Tossa de Mar could do the trick.
Tips for visiting Blanes during the Fireworks Competition
Whether you’re staying in Blanes or visiting the town for a day, keep the following in mind when planning your trip:
- During the fireworks competition, the central beach area is cordoned off and monitored around-the-clock by police to prevent unauthorized pyrotechnics from going off. If you ever wanted to bring your own firecrackers and petards to the event, don’t.
- The first rockets fly into the air at 10:30 pm, and the nightly show lasts about 25 minutes. Arriving right before the start is not recommended, as the town centre is closed to traffic and parking may be extremely difficult.
- Getting to Blanes around 6 pm is optimal. You can park in the underground garage on Plaça Catalunya right next to Sa Palomera and visit the botanical garden Jardí Botànic Marimurtra, considered to be one of the most beautiful on the whole Mediterranean coast, and then enjoy an unhurried dinner at one of the seaside restaurants close to the beach.
- Don’t run to your parking spot right after the fireworks end! You won’t be able to leave for another half an hour anyway. Take this time to take a walk to the square next to City Hall and check out the preparations for the Saint Anne Day celebrations.
