Salou's mayor, Pere Granados, presented the new edition of the 'Festa al Cel' air festival and a new Modernist and Noucentist Route in Zaragoza on 13 May 2026. The cultural proposal highlights the town's historical and architectural heritage. The event, attended by business leaders, institutional and military representatives, journalists, and tourism professionals, aimed to introduce Salou's new attractions and reinforce historical and emotional links with Aragon, a traditionally loyal market for the Costa Daurada capital.
Promotional videos for the 'Festa al Cel' and Salou's historical and cultural heritage were shown, allowing attendees to see the air festival's spectacle and the town's architectural, heritage, and scenic richness. Granados emphasised that the 'Festa al Cel' is “much more than an air festival”, calling it “a great international showcase capable of generating tourist projection and economic impact”. The presentation highlighted Salou's shift towards a year-round tourism model, combining major events, culture, heritage, and experiences linked to Mediterranean history and identity.
Granados stated that “coming to Aragon is like being at home” and expressed particular excitement about presenting “a route that allows the discovery of an unknown Salou, full of history” to the people of Zaragoza. The mayor also described Salou as “Aragon's gateway to the Mediterranean”.
Salou's Air Festival Programme
The mayor announced that the 'Festa al Cel' will take place from 18 to 20 September. The festival, sponsored by PortAventura World, will feature significant new additions after attracting over 300,000 people to Salou's coastline last year. The festival will offer two distinct shows, one nocturnal and one daytime, transforming Salou's seafront into a major international aeronautical and visual stage.
The night show will combine technology, music, and visual effects with synchronised drone displays, lasers, LED lights, coloured smoke, and fireworks over the sea. Highlights include the Flying Dragons Paramotor Team, with paramotors equipped with LED lighting and pyrotechnics, and Sweden's Scandinavian Airshows, offering wingwalking displays with acrobats on plane wings in mid-flight, alongside a new night show with lights and audiovisual effects.
For the daytime programme, Salou's skies will host displays by civilian and military aircraft, aerobatic patrols, and historic planes. These will feature high-precision manoeuvres, low-level flights, and spectacular demonstrations, solidifying Salou's position as a European aeronautical reference point.
Confirmed participants include the Spanish Air and Space Army's Parachute Acrobatic Patrol (PAPEA), the Eurofighter Typhoon, an Airbus A400M Atlas, and the Canadair CL-415T from Group 43 anti-firefighting unit, one of Spain's most iconic seaplanes. The Baltic Bees Jet Team, the world's only civilian team of six L-39 Albatros jets flying in aerobatic formation, will also participate. Other aircraft include an Airbus A330 from LEVEL and an Airbus A320 from Vueling, which will use sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) to reduce its environmental impact.
Additional programming will feature Tigre and Chinook helicopters from the Spanish Army, displays by pilot Cástor Fantoba, the British team Aerosparx with drone and pyrotechnic shows, the OV-10 Bronco aircraft from France, and participation from the Aeroclub Barcelona-Sabadell and the Aeronautical Park Foundation of Catalonia. Granados reiterated that the 'Festa al Cel' is “a great international showcase capable of generating tourist projection, economic impact, and brand positioning for Salou”.
Rediscovering Historic Salou
The presentation also introduced the new Modernist and Noucentist Route, a cultural initiative revealing emblematic buildings, historic villas, and unique spaces linked to Salou's tourism origins and urban development. The mayor stressed that “Salou is not just a sun and beach destination; it is also a municipality with a thousand-year history and extraordinary heritage that explains its evolution over the centuries”. The route includes free guided tours and audio guides in Catalan, Spanish, English, and French, aiming to make this legacy accessible to both residents and international visitors.
Granados also highlighted Salou's historical significance in the Mediterranean, noting that it had one of the most important natural ports in the medieval Mediterranean. From this maritime enclave, King Jaume I sailed in 1229 to conquer Mallorca. The mayor also drew attention to the Punta del Porroig interpretation centre, part of the Civil War defence spaces route, featuring rehabilitated bunkers and military structures that show the defensive history of Salou's coast.
He further highlighted the Greek site of Kallípolis, dating from the 4th century BC, considered one of Catalonia's most unique Hellenic settlements. The Roman Villa of Barenys, linked to the production and export of wine, oil, and ceramics during the Roman era, was also mentioned. As a symbolic gesture of brotherhood between territories, all attendees received a packet of traditional Aragonese Popit popcorn, specially made for the occasion.
Through its focus on major events, heritage, and culture, Salou is strengthening its tourism diversification strategy. This approach aims to consolidate its position as an active, sustainable, and attractive Mediterranean destination throughout the year.
