The project grew out of a personal story. Anica Fallarás, who has been widowed for years, felt she wanted to celebrate the life of her husband, Pepe, rather than remember only the sadness of saying goodbye. That premise gave rise to Carpe Vitam, a venue for people who want to celebrate life and are tired of bars.
From grief to celebration
“Pepe, my husband, was a social butterfly who loved life,” the founder tells us. After the funeral, “a terribly sad moment,” and once she had worked through her grief, five years passed and the idea began to take shape: bringing together again everyone who had loved him. She did so at a bar, with the help of a friend behind the counter, but the venue proved too small. There was another realization: many of the people in her circle had not seen one another since then. That was when she thought there had to be a venue where people could hold an intimate celebration, privately and on their own terms. Hence the name, Carpe Vitam, which is almost a Latin translation of “celebrate life.” Several neon signs bearing that message in different languages decorate the space.
A versatile venue with everything needed
The concept is simple: Carpe Vitam provides the space, and the customer provides the party. It can be booked for birthdays, pre-wedding gatherings, alternative bachelor or bachelorette parties, post-wedding celebrations, family get-togethers, corporate dinners or retirement lunches.
Basic decor is included, but each group can transform the venue to suit its celebration. Guests can bring their own catering, decorate as they wish and organize the event their own way, with room for balloons, decorative features or a special theme.
The venue has a maximum capacity of 64 people, although it can be adapted for smaller formats. For a seated dinner, for example, the limit is around 28 guests. There is also scheduling flexibility. The venue can be booked from 4 p.m. or from 7 p.m., depending on the group’s needs. On Fridays and Saturdays, it is geared especially toward afternoon and evening events, with closing time set at 2 a.m.
Carpe Vitam Zgz has a microwave and industrial refrigerators, tables, chairs, glassware, a sound system with eight speakers and an acoustic limiter, and even a disco ball. Capacity is 64 people, or up to 28 for seated dinners. Cleaning is included in the rental.
You bring the party, and I provide the space
This phrase sums up the Carpe Vitam concept. “I provide the venue; you bring the party, however you want it,” Anica Fallarás explains.
Very pleased with the venue’s opening, Anica Fallarás notes that it was deliberately intergenerational. There were 18-year-olds, groups in their twenties, people around 50 and attendees over 80. And everyone found their place. In fact, just one day after the opening, the venue hosted its first celebration: an 18th birthday party. The founder aims to build an inclusive business, free of labels, with room for every type of celebration.
From a family gathering during the Fiestas del Pilar to a Christmas Eve dinner for 28 people
The venue already has its first bookings, all very different: a family dinner on Christmas Eve and a gathering for parents and children during the Fiestas del Pilar. And there are countless possibilities on the table: 60th, 70th, 80th or 90th birthday parties; retirement celebrations; reunions of former colleagues; family celebrations after a wedding; or gatherings of friends who simply want to spend an afternoon together and decide as the evening unfolds whether to continue the night elsewhere.
The proposal has a generational dimension. “People over 50 like to go out, but they are tired of bars,” its creator explains. It is a generation that does not necessarily want to stay home, but also does not need to party until the early hours of the morning.
“They want something different,” Anica Fallarás says: “their music, their people, some food, a few drinks, dancing if they feel like it, and the freedom to go home whenever they want.”
Zaragoza as a starting point
Carpe Vitam ZGZ was launched with the aim of first establishing itself in Zaragoza. Its downtown location is one of its strengths: the venue is just minutes from some of the city’s main entertainment areas, allowing those who wish to do so to continue their night elsewhere.
If the model works, the long-term goal would not be to open more venues in Zaragoza, but to bring the concept to other smaller cities where a similar need may exist. Huesca, Teruel and Logroño are among the examples suggested by the founder.
