Valls will host the third edition of the Valls Juga Festival, the Tarragona region's gaming festival, at Sala Kursaal on Saturday, 21 March 2026. The festival will run from 10am until midnight, including a 'Night of Completes' session from 9pm to midnight for longer role-playing games and complex board games.

Organisers have expanded the programme to include over 130 activities across four zones, three indoors and one outdoors, covering more than 3,000 square metres. The event is designed for all ages and interests, featuring board games, role-playing games, card games, mancala, wargames, skill games, and construction games.

During the night session, a board game library service will be available, allowing attendees to choose from a wide variety of games. The festival is free to enter and open to everyone, according to the coordinating team.

Diverse Gaming Experiences

The outdoor area, named "Fem plaça" (Let's make a square), will feature giant target and skill games from Cia. de jocs "l'Anònima" and Valls-based company "Los desenchufables". There will also be an archery and soft combat area with "Valhalla Experiència Vikinga", alongside a prehistoric archery activity led by the research group from the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology (IPHES-CERCA), demonstrating ancient hunting systems.

Inside the Kursaal, Zone 2 will be a dedicated family area with activities for children. Companies "Tell Fusta" and "Prohibit no tocar" (Forbidden not to touch) will offer early childhood games and construction games using Lego and Kapla. Zone 1, the central space, will host the main selection of games.

Authors and Publishers Gather

The festival will feature over twenty board game authors, some presenting new releases, and nearly thirty publishers, with eleven having a direct presence on the day. More than 120 board games will be demonstrated by volunteers from local groups such as La Pera Juganera, Associació TGN Juga, DLC Club Diògenes Tarragona, and students from "Ludoforta" at Institut Torreforta in Tarragona.

Organisers stated that the involvement of local and regional entities is a positive aspect of the project, describing it as "a festival cooked from the territory, but with a universal vocation." The event will also include a space for prototype game demonstrations, sales points for gaming materials, and a free-play area called "Tercera ronda" (Third round) where attendees can try out and share their own games. Food trucks, Bàrbar and Creperia Plaer, will offer food options, including gluten-free products.

Promoting Inclusivity and Catalan Language

This year, "purple tables" will return, dedicated to feminist-themed games or games where women are the main characters. This initiative aims to highlight and promote the presence of female narratives in the gaming world, with tables clearly marked in purple.

Zone 3 will be a quieter area for role-playing games. This year, chess will be introduced in this space, with Club d'Escacs Valls organising a tournament and a simultaneous exhibition. The festival will also include various tournaments and raffles for board games donated by collaborating publishers. To enter the raffle, participants can complete a "Sopa de jocs" (Game word search) distributed to schools in Valls and the surrounding area.

Comerç de Valls, with support from the Department of Commerce, will again run "De pista en pista" (From clue to clue), an activity where participants complete a map with city-related clues by visiting local shops. This runs from 9 to 21 March, with the prize draw on festival day at Sala Kursaal. Winners must be present to claim prizes.

New additions this year include a large-format puzzle assembly for attendees, qualifying them for another raffle, and a Lego puzzle assembly for younger children. The festival will also host "Protocol Rebrot - El retorn a Valls" (Protocol Sprout - The return to Valls), a live investigation game with mystery and intrigue. Written by Albert Carrion and performed by Grup del Teatre Principal, this activity requires pre-registration and is for participants aged 16 and over, with two sessions for 30 people each.

Many programmed activities, such as role-playing games and tournaments, require prior registration via the festival website. On the day, registration will be possible if spaces remain available. The festival continues to promote the Catalan language, with a stand from the Consortium for Linguistic Normalisation showcasing games published in Catalan as part of the "Tot joc" (All games) programme, and the game "Caselles" (Squares) provided by Òmnium Cultural.