Dels sants del gener, Sant Antoni és el primer!
[Of all the saints’ days in January, Saint Anthony is the main one!] So the Catalan saying goes, and the Sant Antoni festival cycle does usher in our city’s festival calendar with an entire series of festive expressions on the streets of Barcelona, all revolving around Saint Anthony, although they’re all unique and different.
This year we are really celebrating because we're commemorating the bicentennial of Barcelona's Tres Tombs Parade. It's an event to celebrate that fact that the tradition carries on and remains rooted in the city two centuries on. This is why the Federation of The ‘Tres Tombs’ of Sant Antoni de Barcelona Parade has come up with an impressive programme of events throughout all of 2025, which will kick off this January on the feast day of Saint Anthony to celebrate this historical milestone.
From the Tres Tombs to the bonfires, the festival cycle is spreading all across Barcelona with activities for the entire family, most of them in the first month of the year. They range from the oldest and most traditional events, like the Tres Tombs de Barcelona and Sant Andreu, to the most innovative, including the ‘Porkada del Clot’, together with others that are now well established like the Foguerons of Gràcia (traditional bonfires) and the Tres Tombs Infernals of Sant Andreu.
Once again, we are presenting the programme of events for this year´s 2025 Sant Antoni festive cycle, which will transform the city and carry us back into the past with horse-drawn carriages, devils, bonfires, community meals, traditional music and more. Take a look at the programme and enjoy the cycle's charm and magic.
Sant Antoni, keep us safe from fire and from the devil!
Saturday 18 January
The Sant Antoni Tres Tombs Parade
The city’s Sant Antoni Tres Tombs Parade is celebrating its bicentennial this year. This is one of the most popular events held throughout the year in Barcelona, made up of numerous carriages drawn by horses, donkeys and mules which parade along various streets in the Sant Antoni neighbourhood and the city centre, presenting the great historical heritage of city, urban, goods transport and agricultural carriages in the country.
As a new feature this year, the Catalan Federation of Carpet Makers will craft a carpet to commemorate the bicentennial around the market.
The blessing of the animals will take place in front of the Escola Pia de Sant Antoni by the sub-prior and butler of the Abbey of Montserrat, Josep Jujol, the priest of the Escola Pia de Sant Antoni and Father Gall from Sant Martí.
Route: Avinguda del Paral·lel, Carrer de Rocafort, Carrer de Tamarit, Carrer del Comte Borrell, Carrer de Parlament, Ronda de Sant Pau, Ronda de Sant Antoni, Carrer de Villarroel, Carrer de Floridablanca, Ronda de Sant Antoni, Plaça de la Universitat, Carrer de Pelai, La Rambla (going down), Carrer de l’Hospital, Carrer de Maria Aurèlia Capmany, Carrer de la Riera Alta, Ronda de Sant Antoni, Carrer de Manso, Avinguda del Paral·lel and Plaça de Josep Puig i Cadafalch.
Time: 10:45 am to 1:30 pm
Taking part in the parade will be:
COGNITIVELY ACCESSIBLE GUIDE. Recommendations for following the Parade.
Click here and remember the previous years’ parades!
OTHER ACTIVITIES
Saturday 11 January
Opening speech of the Bicentennial of the Sant Antoni Tres Tombs Parade of Barcelona, of the 28th National Meeting of the Tres Tombs and Barcelona's nomination as the Capital of the Tres Tombs of Catalonia.
Venue: Saló de Cent, Barcelona City Hall
Time: 6 pm
By invitation only
11, 12, 18 and 19 January
Funeral Carriage Collection open days
The open days at the city’s Funeral Carriages Collection at the Cemetery of Montjuïc are back. You’ll find many carriages which make it a unique event in Europe and which form an invaluable artistic and cultural heritage for Barcelona.
Venue: Funeral Carriage Collection (C. Mare de Déu de Port, 56)
Time: 10 am to 2 pm
Free admission, limited capacity
14 to 17 January
Food collection for the NGO De Veí a Veí
As in recent years, the organisers of the Tres Tombs festival are collaborating with the NGO De Veí a Veí by setting up a food cart at the Sant Antoni market. The idea is that from Tuesday to Friday, anyone that wishes to do so can leave food items in the cart, all of which will be donated to the Sant Antoni neighbourhood NGO.
The cart will be joining the Tres Tombs de Barcelona Bicentennial Parade with all the donated food, and then it will head back to the neighbourhood at the end and donate it all to the NGO.
Venue: Sant Antoni Market (Carrer del Comte d’Urgell, 1)
Time: 10 am to 1:30 pm and 4 to 7 pm.
Children standard-bearers of Sant Antoni
To ensure that the Sant Antoni festival continues in the future, children have to be involved and told about the meaning of the celebration. That’s why the Federation of The ‘Tres Tombs’ of Sant Antoni de Barcelona Parade has been promoting the figure of child standard-bearer for years. This year, talks will be held with children from different schools in the neighbourhood of Sant Antoni.
Thursday 16 January
Talk: ‘How is the feast day of Saint Anthony celebrated in Catalonia? The Tres Tombs in Vilanova i la Geltrú, Igualada and Barcelona”
Participants: Jordi Cubillos, student of folk culture who has published studies and articles in books and magazines and has been closely associated with Els Tres Tombs festival; Montserrat Argelich, president of the Old Igualada Muleteers Guild; Andreu Bernadàs, president of the Federation of The ‘Tres Tombs’ of Sant Antoni de Barcelona Parade; and Xavier Cordomí, president of the Plaça Nova Festival Association.
Venue: La Casa dels Entremesos (Plaça de les Beates, 2)
Time: 7:30 pm
Free admission, limited capacity
10 to 26 January
Visit to Can Fontanet
Are you familiar with Can Fontanet? It's an old horse stable that currently houses the Tres Tombs Information Centre in Sant Andreu. You can learn about the origins and consolidation of this festival there and see how our rural past still leaves its mark today. You’ll find workshops, carriage exhibitions, a display of fittings and audiovisual projections, which are the content offered in the venue. The building has retained its old personality with its Modernista façade on Carrer de Parellada, which used to be where the carriages and horses from the Fabra i Coats factory went in and out.
Dates: Tuesday to Sunday
Time: 10 am to 2 pm
Venue: Carrer de Sant Adrià, 20 (Fabra i Coats)
You can get an appointment by phoning 932 777 012 or sending an email to reserves@canfontanet.cat.
Saturday 11 January
Els Tres Tombs Infernals 2025
There are many versions of the legend of Sant Antoni. One of the most original is the one enacted by the Satànica de Sant Andreu devils’ group: Els Tres Tombs Infernals.
This is a street theatre show that mixes myth, fireworks, music, light and a fire run to depict the temptations that Satan presented to Saint Anthony, in a mix a traditional elements and modern-day social criticism. Power, drink and sex are the tools that the Evil One will use, assisted by his Furies, but the saint will hold out thanks to his integrity and the help of Saint Michael.
The basic script is always the same, but the set changes every year, because Good and Evil are everywhere. But might this 33rd edition offer any surprises beyond the set?
Location: Plaça de Can Fabra
Time: 8:30 pm
Sunday 12 January
Parade of the Tres Tombs de Sant Andreu de Palomar
The agricultural past of the Sant Andreu de Palomar neighbourhood is very much in evidence during the Tres Tombs parade. This is the first of two parades in the city and features the mounted branch of the Guardia Urbana City Police, a band, horses, both male and female riders and all kinds of carriages: buggies, Berlin carriages, horse traps, phaetons, brakes, the Chariot, muleteer's carts, and more. When it reaches Passeig de Fabra i Puig, the parade makes three loops between Carrer Gran de Sant Andreu and Concepció Arenal.
For the fourth consecutive year, at the same time you can enjoy the Barcelona Urban Sketchers’ activity - they’ll be making drawings of the preparations for the festival inside the Fabra i Coats complex.
Times:
10 am: Barcelona Urban Sketchers meet at the Fabra and Coats complex
11:45 am: the parade starts
12 noon: blessing
Route: Carrer de Sant Adrià, Carrer del Segre, Passeig de Torras i Bages (as far as Valentí Iglésias), Passeig de Torras i Bages, Carrer del Segre, Carrer de Virgili, Rambla de l’Onze de Setembre and Passeig de Fabra i Puig (Tres Tombs between Carrer Gran de Sant Andreu and Concepció Arenal).
There are spaces reserved for people with disabilities along the route: Passeig de Fabra i Puig (by C/ Neopàtria) and in Passeig de Torres i Bages (by C/ Santa Marta).
Taking part in the parade will be:
Each year, the Sant Antoni festivities include the inauguration of Tradicionàrius, the country’s biggest folk music festival.
This year, the activities will last until 11 April. The opening will kick off with a street parade organised by Kabum and the Guirigall collective starting at 9 pm in Plaça de la Vila and ending at the Tradicionàrius Crafts Centre. After that, the concert ‘MAR MUR, 15 anys’ will be held at 10 pm.
Friday 10 January
Official opening of the 38th edition of the International Tradicionàrius Folk Festival
Venue: Centre Artesà Tradicionàrius, CAT (Plaça d’Anna Frank, s/n)
Time: 9 pm at the Plaça de la Vila de Gràcia
Concert price (box office): €12
You’ll find the full programme at: www.tradicionarius.cat
The Plaça del Mercat del Clot will be the centre of the ‘Porkada de Clot’, where you can sample fantastic tapas and enjoy the scheduled activities all day long and into the night.
Saturday 18 January
Times:
11 am Children’s workshops in Plaça del Mercat del Clot
11 am Folk culture parade with the participation of: Ball de Bastons (stick dancers) of El Clot, giants of El Clot, drummers of the Diables del Clot and the Pork del Clot. From the intersection of C/ Rogent and C/ Rosselló to Pl. Mercat.
12 noon Folk culture display in Plaça del Mercat del Clot
12:30 pm The ‘Vermut musical més Pork’ in conjunction with Northern Clot in the Plaça del Mercat del Clot
2 pm ‘Pork al plat’ communal lunch in the Plaça del Mercat del Clot
5 pm Afternoon of music, tapas and fire. In the Plaça del Mercat del Clot, with music by the PD’s of Northern Clot
6 pm Porkatapes. Route around the neighbourhood with stalls at the participating bars, where you can savour incredible tapas. With the Pork del Clot and the Banda Patilla
8 pm Fire run. Starting at the Plaça del Mercat del Clot. With the participation of the Pilós dels Diables de Rubí and the Pork del Clot
For more information about this event, you can check the festival's social media:
Twitter: @PorkadaClot
Facebook: @porkadaclot
Instagram: @porkadaclot
The Foguerons de Sa Pobla a Gràcia bonfires will be burning at different locations around the neighbourhood on Saturday 25 January. Several activities have also been planned to share Mallorcan culture.
On the last weekend in January, Gràcia hosts the Foguerons de Sa Pobla, a Mallorcan bonfire tradition that came to Vila de Gràcia thanks to a father who wanted to make sure he passed it on to his children. The festival is a spectacular event featuring bonfires, flabiol pipers, friction drums, ‘glossadors’ [improvisational poets] and folk singers. Every year this festival is also a meeting point for Mallorcans and Gràcia residents.
For three decades now, on the last weekend of January, the streets and squares of the old Vila de Gràcia have filled with bonfires, which has eventually become the unofficial Gràcia winter festival.
On the days leading up to the festival, there will be a range of activities taking place. For more information check here (COMING SOON).
COMING SOON - The complete 2025 bonfire programme here.
The neighbourhood's streets will once again be filled with activities, popular culture and lots of fun from Friday 17 to Sunday 26 January.
The Sant Antoni neighbourhood celebrates its main festival with traditional popular events such as the Opening Parade, the Tablada (drum session), the Tres Tombs parade, the Tarda de Gegants al Mercat (Giants at the Market), a fire run and more.
For more information, download the full programme here, or check out the Festa Major de Sant Antoni website where you’ll find all the information about the big annual festival.
