The survivors of Berga de Gràcia Street: "This could be the last year we decorate it."

BarcelonaEvery August, Barcelona's Gràcia neighborhood dresses up for the festivities, and its streets become magical settings. Vegetable gardens, zoos, fish tanks, and all kinds of imaginary worlds come to life thanks to the efforts of its residents, in a tradition that dates back to the mid-19th century. But on Berga Street, the future of that tradition seems to be numbered. "If the situation doesn't improve soon, this could be the last year we decorate the street," warns Montserrat del Castillo, a resident who has been responsible for the event for fourteen years.

For the residents of Berga Street—and for many other residents of Gràcia—the festivities begin several months earlier than for the rest of the neighborhood. In October, they hold an assembly to close accounts and gather ideas, and in December, they hold a neighborhood dinner to decide on the theme of the decorations. This year, the winner was the science fiction film Throne, although not all the neighbors were convinced by the proposal.

"Around March, we started working, each in their own homes, because there are very few of us and we divide the work as best we can," explains Montse, who is standing next to a stall with her mother and Lolita, another neighbor. With just a couple of days left until the festivities begin, they sell themed T-shirts, fans, and glasses to raise funds to cover the costs of all the decorations.

Throughout the morning, the stall attracts curious onlookers and neighbors; many come over. Some just say hello, others stay a while and help make the decorations, like Maria Teresa, an octogenarian neighbor whom everyone knows as "the voice of the street": the one in charge of going from store to store asking for materials and support. However, this year she also sat down to wrap cheese boxes that will be part of the decoration. "We're short on hands," Montse laments. "Most of those who help are already too old, and there's no generational change."

In fact, this year Berga Street was on the verge of not participating in the street decoration competition. "Three people who were very important on the committee died, and we didn't have the strength," admits the coordinator. The emergence of three young people with drive and energy gave the project a breather, but no one knows if this push will be enough to keep the tradition alive.

What remains a pillar are local businesses. Pharmacies, supermarkets, cafes... all store cardboard, cans, and newspapers for months to decorate. Among them, Café Reunión occupies a special place. Its name seems premonitory: in August it's a makeshift warehouse and the rest of the year, a neighborhood meeting point. Its owner, Carmen, has been helping to decorate the street for over two decades. "There's more and more work," she acknowledges, "but the festivities have turned us into a family. They're the excuse to create a neighborhood."

"They are neighbors passing through"

Gràcia has changed, and the proliferation of tourist apartments has made it more difficult for new residents to become involved in the neighborhood. In 2005, there were 81 tourist apartment licenses in all of Barcelona; this year, in Gràcia alone, the number has reached 1,629, according to the latest count by Barcelona City Council. The result, according to Montse, is a neighborhood with more people just passing through and without roots. Meanwhile, those who do maintain a connection to the neighborhood are increasingly displaced or have grown too old to actively participate in the preparation of the decorations. "Tourists get very involved during the festivities," she says, "but you can't count on them to work on the preparations. They are just neighbors passing through."

Beyond those who roll up their sleeves to decorate the streets, the increase in tourist apartments and expats This has caused tension among some residents. Last year, during the festivities, graffiti appeared on the walls with messages like "Tourist, we spit in your beer" and "Defend popular culture, attack the tourist." However, Montse emphasizes the good behavior of most visitors who stroll the streets each year.

For now, Berga Street and its residents are experiencing the last few days before the festival with the same mix of tiredness and enthusiasm as always. Montse sums it up with a resigned smile: "There's no life. From work on the street and from the street to work. But it's worth it. In the end, this isn't just a party: it's our way of continuing to be a neighborhood."