The second edition of the Festa Modernista will be held from September 27th to 29th and will have trading as its central element. In 1900, Reus was bustling with commercial activity, and, in fact, the city preserves many century-old establishments that are a good example of Reus’ historical strength as a trading city.
This theme is reflected in the poster designed by Elisabeth Tort, which was inspired by early 20th-century advertisements and aims to link the modernist period with the city’s commercial tradition.
To strengthen the links between modernist cities, this year’s guest city at the ‘Reus 1900. Festa Modernista’ will be Terrassa. A city with an wide modernist heritage and a fully consolidated Modernist Fair, which in 2024 celebrated its 21st edition.
After a first edition focused on historical re-enactment, with around thirty activities, more than 50 entities and companies involved, and more than 10,000 visitors, the Agència de Promoció de Ciutat along with Casa Navàs both have made a firm commitment to a second edition that will increase the budget and grow in settings, shows and activities.
The second edition of the Festa Modernista makes a more ambitious proposal in which the plaça del Mercadal will continue to be one of the main settings for staging and re-enactment and adds the plaça Prim, the plaça del Dr. Sabater, as well as Monterols, Llovera and others nearby streets.
The main themes of this event will be historical re-enactment, with a prominent presence of groups from the city; exhibitions; shows, which this year will also be held in different spaces; street routes and visits to heritage sites, to open up spaces that cannot be visited during the rest of the year. Family activities will also be promoted, which will be concentrated in one of the new spaces, the Plaça del Prim, as well as gastronomy.
The implementation of the first edition was possible thanks to all the associative, commercial, and business networks that took part in it and, in this sense, from the Agència de Projecció de Ciutat and Casa Navàs, we want to call on all entities, shops, and restaurateurs to encourage them to participate.
New proposals can be sent until June 17th to the following e-mail address: [email protected]
An appeal is also being made to the public to get involved in the festival. To this end, a costume protocol has been created, which can be found on the website www.reus1900.cat. Besides, two workshops have been organized by Ana de la Cruz, a dressmaker specializing in modernist costumes, which will be held at Casa Navàs. The first will be held on 5 and 12 June, and the second on 19 and 26 June. They will begin at 6.30 p.m. each day, and each session will last two hours. The workshops are priced at €5 per person and must be booked in advance at casanavas.cat.
One of this festival’s main goals is to highlight the legacy of the city’s most glorious period. In this line of reinforcing the brand of ‘Reus, modernist city’, it is considered essential to have a prestigious activity that helps us to place Reus as one of the modernist cities of reference in Europe.
‘Reus 1900. Festa Modernista’ is organized by the Agència de Promoció de Ciutat and Casa Navàs.