Among them were numerous visitors from Aragon who, taking advantage of the weekend and their long-standing ties to Salou, travelled to the town to enjoy a spectacle far removed from the usual beach and tourism atmosphere that characterizes the Costa Dorada. For decades, the municipality has been one of the preferred destinations for families from Zaragoza, many of whom own second homes in the area.
And if one performer managed to draw exclamations from the crowd, it was the Eurofighter Typhoon. The elegant fighter jet operated by Spain’s Air and Space Force became one of the show’s major stars, with its flyovers and maneuvers along the Salou coastline.
The roar of its engines broke the tranquillity of the coast on several occasions and prompted thousands of people to raise their phones in an attempt to capture one of the weekend’s most striking images. Its presence also allowed spectators to watch from the beach as one of Spain’s most advanced combat aircraft performed a demonstration. The Eurofighter was part of the extensive military aircraft lineup planned for Festa al Cel.
The roar of its engines broke the tranquillity of the coast on several occasions. Photo: Actualidad Media
But the fighter jet was not alone. The program brought together a broad selection of civilian and military aircraft, including the Airbus A400M Atlas from Zaragoza, Tiger and Chinook helicopters, the Air and Space Force’s Parachute Acrobatic Patrol and other teams specializing in air shows.
THE MEMORY OF CEUTA ALSO PRESENT
Beyond the spectacle, the weekend also included references to the situation in Ceuta, in a context marked by the presence of the Armed Forces and various security and emergency services.
The allusions added a current-affairs dimension to an otherwise festive event and highlighted the role played by the various public services that work both in emergency situations and to protect citizens and ensure their safety.
In the same vein, the work of firefighters received special recognition. Their presence at the festival underscored the importance of the emergency services behind an event of this scale. Salou Town Council expressly included the Generalitat Fire Service among the forces and organizations whose cooperation it thanked during the celebrations.
A SHOW THAT CONTINUED AFTER NIGHTFALL ON SATURDAY
Festa al Cel was not limited to daytime displays. One of the program’s major attractions was the night show, which turned Salou’s seafront into a gigantic stage.
Aircraft and aerobatics gave way to a combination of drones, lights, pyrotechnic effects and fireworks over the Mediterranean. The organizers had designed the show to combine aerial formations with lighting, lasers and pyrotechnics, creating a completely different experience once the sun had set.
Aircraft and aerobatics gave way to a combination of drones, lights, pyrotechnic effects and fireworks. Photo: Actualidad Media
For several minutes, the sky became a huge screen of light above the beach. The images were among the weekend’s most striking scenes and once again brought large crowds to the seafront promenade.
A WEEKEND OF LOOKING UP
The combination of military aviation, aerobatics, historic aircraft, drones and pyrotechnics turned Salou into the epicenter of aviation this weekend.
The 2026 edition comes after the first Festa al Cel held in Salou attracted more than 350,000 people, according to figures released by the Town Council. The event aims to become one of the Costa Dorada’s major aviation and tourism attractions.
For the many visitors from Aragon, many of them regular visitors to Salou and owners of second homes there, the weekend provided an added incentive to return to one of their favorite destinations on the Costa Dorada. Above all, however, they will remember the image of Salou’s sky transformed into a display and entertainment arena.
