Cercavila and ball de gegants. The festival begins with a cercavila procession on the eve of Sant Bartomeu's feast day. The festival giants of the Geganters de Sants, the Banda de Música del Triangle music group and the drummers of the Tabalers de Sants make a circuit around the neighbourhood until they reach Espanya Industrial park. Once there, the gegants dance and then the opening proclamation is read.

Traques d’inici. Early in the morning, traques, long strings of firecrackers, explode around the streets that make up the festival area. They let all the local residents know that the celebrations are about to begin. At the same time, cercavila processions and drummers walk though the neighbourhood to get people to join in the activities.

Floral offering to Sant Bartomeu. The festivities begin with a floral offering in honour of the patron saint, in the parish church of Santa Maria, . This is the responsibility of the festival associations of the streets and the Castellers de Sants human tower group, who build a pillar in homage to the saint.

Community dances. Over the days of celebration, there are various traditional sardana concerts and dances. They are held on many streets in the neighbourhood, and are performed by guest cobles, traditional music groups who the festival committees invite to come and play. The Bastoners de Sants also give several stick dancing exhibitions as part of the festival. 

Prizes for decorated streets. The Festes de Sants are well-known for their decorated streets and squares. This activity has been going on for more than a century. Residents' associations and festival committees prepare the decoration throughout the year, with themes and materials that never cease to amaze. In order to keep the tradition going, every year prizes are awarded to the best-decorated streets, divided into different categories, in a ceremony that takes place in Espanya Industrial park, the day after the festival.

Correfoc. With four fire groups in the neighbourhood, there could not fail to be a huge pyrotechnic spectacle, which usually coincides with the closing act of the festival. In the afternoon the youngest devils take to the streets, and stage a correfoc infantil, a fire run for kids, in the main streets of the old village. In the evening, the adult diables, together with the neighbourhood fire beasts, perform a big correfoc which bids the festival farewell until the next year.