Historic fairs and fires: exhibitions span decades

The 54th edition of exproReus, running from 9 to 12 October at firaReus Events in the Tecnoparc de Reus, will include three special exhibitions that revisit pivotal moments in the fair’s history and its connection to the region. The displays will be hosted at firaReus Events and the Mercat Central, offering residents and visitors a chance to explore Reus’s cultural and industrial heritage. One exhibition, 1966. Del desastre a la reconstrucció, will occupy the main foyer of firaReus Events. It commemorates the 60th anniversary of a devastating fire during the sixth edition of the fair, which broke out in the early hours of 26 October 1966 after a severe windstorm damaged the site. Despite extensive destruction, organisers, exhibitors, businesses, and volunteers rebuilt the show within 24 hours, allowing the event to resume the following day. Archival photos and documents will illustrate this collective effort.

Gaudí’s local landscape influences revealed

Another major exhibition, El secret de Gaudí al Baix Camp, curated by Josep Pedret Rodés, will be hosted in the Marià Fortuny Foyer at firaReus Events. It forms part of the wider centenary commemorations of architect Antoni Gaudí’s death and explores how the geological formations around Escornalbou and Coll de la Desenrocada in the Baix Camp influenced iconic works such as Casa Milà, Casa Batlló, and Park Güell. The exhibition also highlights the relationship between Gaudí and Reus-born intellectual Eduard Toda i Güell, underscoring the city’s indirect but significant role in modernist architecture. Natural heritage of the Baix Camp region is presented as a silent inspiration behind some of Gaudí’s most innovative designs.

Origins of the fair at Mercat Central

A photographic exhibition at the Mercat Central will focus on the second edition of the fair, held in 1948 within the same building before it officially opened as the city’s central market. Drawn from historical images in the archive transferred by REDESSA to CIMIR, the display allows visitors to see how the event looked in its early years, including layout, exhibitors, and public engagement. Josep Baiges, Reus councillor for Economic Promotion, Innovation and Knowledge and delegate CEO of REDESSA, said exproReus is “an intimate part of our emotional heritage, a space where the city recognises, reunites and projects itself”. He added that the fair has helped shape how the community understands progress, economic activity and social life.

Practical details for visitors

  • The 54th exproReus runs from 9–12 October 2026 at firaReus Events (Parc Tecnològic i d’Innovació, Tecnoparc de Reus).
  • Opening hours: 11:00 to 21:00 daily.
  • Admission is free.
  • The exhibitions are accessible throughout the event.

Before the main event, the RACC Mou-te Bé! On Tour mobility circuit will take place in Plaça de la Llibertat on Saturday 3 October, from 11:00 to 14:00 and 17:00 to 19:00. Designed for families and children, it simulates an urban environment to teach safe and respectful coexistence among pedestrians, cyclists, scooters and other road users.

Primary sources: govern.cat. Reported by Redacció Infocamp, La Guia de Reus, firareus.com, Comunicació - Diputació de Tarragona, escapadaambnens.com, modernetdigital.cat, festivalesdeespana.com, bellesguardgaudi.com, reusdigital.cat.