The Santa Eulàlia Festivities mark the occasion as the Laia minigiant turns 25

It’s that time of year when the streets of Ciutat Vella fill with popular culture to celebrate the city’s winter festival. Eulàlia is the jointly one of the city’s patron saints, and the festivities in her honour bring together a string of groups from several neighbourhoods to share music, dance, fire and traditions from 10 to 12 February.

Festes de Santa Eulàlia, geganta Laia, Ciutat Vella, Exposició de gegantes
02/02/2023 - 17:17 h - Culture and leisure Ajuntament de Barcelona

As a taster, from 4 February onwards there’s a chance to visit the now traditional exhibition of Laia giants at the Palau de la Virreina, while the children’s and school giants are set to fill the Pati Manning at the Casa de la Caritat.

There’s also a presentation of “Barcelona gegantera” on 8 February, a project consisting of a book, a website and a series of video interviews with dozens of people involved in the culture of giants, as well as a catalogue of all the dances performed by giant figures in the city. Did you know the first reference to giants in Barcelona dates back 600 years?

Children inaugurate the festivities

Children from Barcelona play a central part in the Santa Eulàlia Festivities. They’ve been working on the Children’s Proclamation for the last few months, which they will be delivering on Friday, 10 February, signalling the start of the celebrations. The programme continues with children’s and school giants, children’s devil groups, children’s traditional dance groups and the smallest beast figures. This display of popular culture will be headed by the festival’s iconic Laia minigiant, who turns 25 this year.

The Popular Retinue, giants, lacemakers, Barcelona Falcons, stick-dancing groups, Clavé choirs, the concert from the carillon in the Palau de la Generalitat, the fire run, the children’s fire run, sardana dancing and choral singing all form part of the festivities too, and on Sunday we can enjoy the Laia parade and a human-towers gathering, the perfect occasion to see the city’s eight groups in action together.

Finally, on Saturday, young people in the city can enjoy the Lali Jove, with a programme of activities and workshops culminating in a concert at the Moll de la Fusta wharf.

Discover all the activities at barcelona.cat/santaeulalia.

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