Barcelona celebrates popular festivals all year round, many tied to Catalan culture: gegants (giants), capgrossos (big heads), castells (human towers), correfocs (fire runs with devils and fireworks) and the sardana. Here are the main ones.
The calendar
- Three Kings (5 January): the great cavalcada arrives at the port and parades through the city.
- Sant Medir (3 March): in Gràcia, carriages and horses throw sweets to the crowd.
- Sant Jordi (23 April): St George's Day, patron of Catalonia, is the most romantic and cultural day of the year. Traditionally people give a rose and a book, and the streets fill with booksellers' and florists' stalls. Casa Batlló, inspired by the dragon legend, is decked with roses.
- Corpus Christi (June): in cloister fountains an egg is made to "dance" on the water jet, the ou com balla.
- Night of Sant Joan (23 June): the shortest night, with bonfires, firecrackers, beach parties and coca de Sant Joan. The 24th is a holiday.
- Festa Major de Gràcia (mid-August): a week in which Gràcia's streets compete for the most original decorations, made by residents from recycled materials, with concerts and outdoor dinners.
- Festa Major de Sants (late August): similar, in the Sants district.
- Diada (11 September): Catalonia's national day, marking the fall of Barcelona in 1714, with demonstrations and tributes.
- La Mercè (around 24 September): the city's patron saint festival, with hundreds of free events, castells in Plaça de Sant Jaume, parades of giants, correfocs, concerts, fireworks and the BAM music festival.
- Castanyada (1 November): chestnuts, sweet potatoes and panellets.
- Christmas: the Fira de Santa Llúcia in front of the cathedral, the caga tió and the nativity scene in Plaça de Sant Jaume (see Christmas).
Tips
During La Mercè and Sant Joan the city is very crowded. For correfocs wear long-sleeved cotton clothes, a hat and eye protection: the sparks are real. See also festivals and events, Spanish festivals and traditions.