Spain’s LEGENDARY Onion Festival | Calçots in Catalonia

Spain is full of incredible festivals. And I'd long wanted to visit this one, in Valls, Tarragona, which is held in honour of perhaps the world's most celebrated onion. Venga, let’s go!

MY FREE SPAIN RESOURCES

ENHANCE YOUR SPAIN TRIP

JOIN OUR EXCLUSIVE LIVE STREAMS

👩🏻‍💻 CONNECT

⏩ CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
01:56 Getting in with the locals
03:18 The story of calçots
04:05 The calçot boom
5:08 The world's best-grown calçot
06:52 The world's best calçot sauce
09:11 The winner farmer
10:04 What I'm learning
11:30 The World's Calçot Eating Competition
14:42 I must eat a calçot!
18:25 My thoughts...

WHO ARE WE? 🥝
⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯⋯
Hola, Spain lovers! We're James and Yoly. James is a New Zealander, and Yoly is from Spain. And we both live in Madrid. This channel is all about giving you a local insight into life in Spain, and helping you experience this country like a local when you come to visit (or live!). If that sounds like your kind of thing, bienvenido!

*This description contains affiliate links which means we may earn a commission if you use them 🙏🏻

[martatrujillo]

La cabezona del video es la imagen de la lotería catalana llamada "La Grossa" (el gordo). Es una lotería que venden números para Sant Jordi y Navidad.

[MYTravelBF]

We love that you're showing more of these small festivals in parts of Spain that tourists traditionally don't see, as these are some of the things that truly make Spain unique! We can't wait to try calçots in the future! Thanks as always, James!

[MisterExciting]

About the woman with the big head on her, its a catalan tradition too. This one in particular is the image of the catalan lotery.They are called capgrossos, wich means big/fat heads. They usually are the companions of, yet another catalan tradition, els gegants wich means the giants. Almost every city and town in catalunya had their own giants and capgrossos and they show up in the local festivities. Great channel btw.

[Outspoken.Humanist]

Oh man that took me back. I lived in Lleida (Lerida) for 5 years back in the early 80's and I went to all the festivals in the area. Vals was great and this video brought back wonderful memories but my fave was, of course, l’Aplec del Caragol en Lleida, the snail festival. It runs for 3 days and this year it begins on 2nd June. You really must go. xx

[mizginavale]

Spaniards really know how to have fun !!! I saw it in the market here in Valencia yesterday and I had never seen before. It looked like a huge scallion and now, I am curious to eat it. I really applaud you for being in the middle of everything, including the sauce tasting. This video is just like a documentary about this festival. Ole!

[AdriaOliSal]

That woman with the big head is a Capgross, a traditional catalan figure representing some important personality of the village or the country. In this case, this was Roser Arena's capgros, that's used to promote the catalan winter and summer lotteries, called La Grossa (Similar to the spanish El Gordo de navidad).

[testaddict]

Wow! You should make more of this festival videos! Amazing production!

[enriquerocco]

I went to Spain last year after watching many videos thanks to this guy ..
Spain = España 🇪🇸 Is the most beautiful and Wondering Country ever seen in my life ..I am 75...what a great country ..
I would return back one and a thousand times to España ...long live Spain 🇪🇸
Viva España !!!! Coño!!! Oleee!!!

[MLCruey]

In the mountains of Virginia, we have a wild garlic called a ramp. They have a ramp festival each Spring.

[RichardLeeOwensJr]

Hey there, I happened on your videos and now have seen a few. I’ve been living in Barcelona for over 20 years, married to a Catalan woman. The calçotada is one of our favorite fiestas. We take full advantage of the season every year, going to at least 3-4 every year. I think you’ve done a great job showing what it’s all about. If you’re ever back this way snd you want to meet up, give me a shout! I’m an American but know New Zealand quite well as I used to work on the Ice! Still have many friends who live there.

[hypnosisforhappiness]

I am a Spaniard living in Australia. I loved the video and your final reflection. This type of festival is something I would always steer clear of, but somehow you manage to make some sense of it, well done! 🎇

[porculizador]

Your videos feel like a documentary sometimes... They get better and better. I want to eat calçots now! 😋

[arnauorengoguardiola]

I just went to a calçotada and you really covered all the topics, such a good video!
Some catalan pronunciation tips: the 'll' is almost like the spanish one (though not exactly the same), so it should be Valls and not Vals, so it kind of sounds like 'Byes'. And the 'ny' is like the ñ.

Keep up the good work, I recently discovered your channel and you're a good storyteller and editor.

[tallie]

So glad I caught this video before I went to Catalonia! This was posted literally a few days before I went and I made sure I bought some calçot and the sauce when I went. Great video and I agree that calçot are delicious!!

[eduprado]

Your final conclusion is very right. In Spain we have local traditions in wich we celebrate weird or insignificant things because in the end that's not the main thing. The main thing is join all the people together and share in order to celebrate (and exalt) their community identity. Thats is what really make sense.

[python-programming]

My wife and I have been watching your videos while we travel in Spain for 2 months. This is one of my favorite videos of yours!!

[miriamO]

Loved all of the commentary from the locals!

[radhakmartin]

I live in Barcelona now, and i went to Platja d’Aro with my cousin’s family for the carnaval parade. It was so fun! My cousin’s husband cooked us calcots, and I got to try it for the first time. It was really good! I am officially a fan.

[elainehowell]

I live in Malaga and love your videos. We buy these 'onions' in our vegetable market. I put them into so many dishes. Especially great on the barbeque with fat pork chops.

[Solo_Traveling]

'That woman', is called La Grossa. It's the symbol of the catalan lotery system.