The locals love a good fiesta (or festa in Catalan) and the year is littered with excuses to spill into the street for drink, dance and song. Liberal, republican, left-leaning Barcelona does not offer the same adoration of the Catholic church that can be witnessed in other parts of Spain, but the religious element of Christmas and Easter remains important, and these become times for families rather than raucous revelry (thought there's a bit of that too). The big events tend to be celebrations of (Catalan) national pride, rather than faith. La Mercè (patron saint of Barcelona) is celebrated with particular vigour - a three day carnival of food, drink and music. The city also has a number of music festivals that are getting attention from across Europe. And then, far too numerous to mention here, are the festas to be found in each barrio. Often running within bigger events (and sometimes run of their own accord) each neighborhood will celebrate its own few streets at least once a year. Keep an eye of your free local paper for details.