Festa major del Poble-sec

Activity dates

Dates de celebració

Second fortnight in July in the Poble-sec neighbourhood, Sants-Montjuïc district

Sants - Montjuïc

Poble-sec is an urban strip which stands between Montjuïc mountain and Avinguda del Paral·lel. Even though the area was already inhabited by the 10th century, the neighbourhood only began to expand in the second half of the 19th century, as a result of the demolition of the city walls. From then on its single-storey houses became the homes of workers and artisans.

The neighbourhood's festa major, its main festival, takes place in the second fortnight in July and is coordinated by the Coordinadora d’Entitats del Poble-sec. The activities are divided among several emblematic spaces, including Plaça del Sortidor, Plaça de les Tres Xemeneies and the Molino theatre, and they are the responsibilities of various associations. Dance, and particularly music, are really important in the programme, but there is popular culture too, like the gatherings of gegants, the festival giants, castelleres, human tower builders, and correfocs, fire runs.

Origins

The festa major has been held since the 1990s.

About festivities

Highlights

Correfoc. The Diables del Poble-sec devils' group organises the correfoc, the fire run of the festa major, which sets off from Plaça del Sortidor. After this fiery cercavila procession, the devils stage a final show, followed by a tabalada of drummers, and a percussion concert.

Secasac. This is a young festival organised by the Castellers del Poble-sec. It begins with a cercavila parade to Plaça de les Tres Xemeneies and continues with various concerts.

Toc d’inici del Poble-sec. In the evening of the second Saturday during the festa major, the festival giants of  Poble-sec and their retinue process around the neighbourhood from Plaça del Sortidor to Plaça de Navas, where they do their dance of honour. They are accompanied by members of the choral society, the Societat Coral els Moderns del Poble-sec, and a group of trabucaires with their blunderbusses.

Trobada gegantera. On the middle day of the festival each year, the Geganters and Grallers del Poble-sec, the giants' group and gralla players respectively, organise a procession of festival giants down Avinguda del Paral·lel. Along with Armand, Rosa and their whole family, there other groups from the city who take part, as well as groups from all around the country. 

Diada castellera. At midday on the Sunday of the festa major, the Castellers del Poble-sec human tower group hosts a diada castellera, a human castle meet, on Carrer de Blai. Normally, human tower groups from outside the city also perform.

Supplementary information

Organisers

Coordinadora d’Entitats del Poble-sec.

Other websites

Festa major del Poble-sec.