Festa Major de Sants
This year, the annual Festa Major de Sants takes place from Saturday 22nd to Sunday 30th August in the neighbourhood of Sants-Montjuic. With hundreds of activities suggested throughout the week, this year’s festival is sure to be an unforgettable local celebration.
A bit of history…
One of the lesser-known areas to tourists descending on the city, Sants is a mainly residential area, inhabited by locals. You may know it as being the home of the Sants Train Station, which connects Barcelona with the rest of Spain and Europe!
Once an independent village before joining the city in 1897, it transformed as a centre for workers during the 19th century as many textile factories were established in the area. Even today, the area has many traits that differentiate it from the rest of Barcelona, traits that are reflected in the festa major, its main festival.
Origins of the festival
The festival is held in honour of St. Bartholomew, the patron saint of Sants. The beginnings of the Festa Major de Sants date back to the mid-19th century when celebrations included Serrallonga and stick dancing. In addition, the main dance of Saint Bartholomew took place, in which costumed dancers of Roman soldiers, angels and a demon would carry a utensil and pretend to beat the audience!
However, some of the festival’s traditions go back even further. The traditional floral offering to St. Batholomew, for example, is closely linked to the religious origins of the celebrations, which date back to the 13th century.
The Festival
During the week, a variety of activities and celebrations are organised by the residents, committees and associations. Celebrations such as parades, human towers and folk dancing animate the streets day and night. Concerts and live music are also a huge part of the festivities, with dozens of free concerts and DJ sets taking place throughout the neighbourhood
To mark the opening of the festival, the celebrations start with the cercavila procession displaying cultural icons such as gegants and capgrossos inviting everyone to join the local festival. Catalan traditions continue throughout the week, with castellers building impressive human towers and other popular festivities taking place across Sants. Fire also plays an important role in the celebrations, with firecrackers, pyrotechnic displays and correfocs bringing an extra burst of energy to the streets.
Like the Festa Major de Gràcia, Sants also puts on a fantastic decoration of the neighbourhood streets. Many of the neighbourhoods’ streets compete to be the best decorated street, and residents go above and beyond to get a chance to win a prize!
Not to miss
On Saturday 29th, don’t miss the Castellers at Pl. Bonet i Muixí. Known as the Borinots, they perform one of the most technical and striking performances among other Catalan human towers.
The correfocs are also a key highlight during the festa major. Taking place on Saturday 29th this fire-run is a traditional Catalan celebration where people dress up as devils and set off fireworks into the crowd.
The main and closing events are another huge part of the celebrations. To close the week off, a piromusical is organised at Parc de l’Espanya Industrial. The firework show accompanied by popular Catalan songs is one of most emblematic moments of the festival.
A Community Celebration
During the Festa Major de Sants, the neighbourhood comes alive with a wide range of activities for all ages. From public outdoor dinners, shared paellas and traditional cooking competitions to daytime family workshops and cultural activities, the festival brings neighbours and visitors together to celebrate Sants’ community spirit, creativity and local traditions.
How to get there
The main activities and celebrations are centered around Parc de l’Espanya Industrial and nearby streets such as Carrer de Galileu and Carrer del Guadiana.
Metro:
- Mercat Nou (L1)
- Plaça del Centre (L3)
- Plaça de Sants (L5)
Where to stay
At AB Apartment Barcelona, we have a wide range of apartments available to rent in the Sants neighbourhood. Head to our website to discover what is on offer or contact our friendly team who will be more than happy to help you find your perfect apartment in Sants!
Experience Barcelona like a local and discover the community spirit of Sants during its Festa Major.
With an exciting mix of food, traditions and decorated streets, simply take a stroll through the neighbourhood’s streets and something is bound to catch your eye. So, if you’re visiting Barcelona this August, make sure to add Festa Major de Sants to your itinerary.
