Another year (which makes 205) and another Festa Major is here to fill Villa de Gràcia’s streets and squares. This year 23 decorated spaces are joining the festivities.

Aside from the decorated streets and squares, the festival includes a host of outstanding events that will fill the old town from 14 to 21 August with festive figures, music and folk groups. The stand-out day is 15 August, the feast day of the local patron saint, the Mare de Déu d’Agost (August Virgin), with a series of events that follow a well-defined ritual set out in the Vila de Gràcia festival protocol.

Below we offer you the programme of the festival highlights:

Sunday 14 August

La Passada cap al pregó Local politicians and festival speech giver will set off for Plaça de la Vila from the Plaça de la Virreina. This procession will also include the Gràcia Trabucaires, the Àliga de Gràcia and the Gegants de Gràcia. At 5.30 pm from the head office of the Plaça de la Virreina.

Tabals i gralles d’inici de festa. Following the “Toc d’Inici”, the drummers and gralla players from the folk groups will brighten up the square with the theme tune of the Gràcia groups, “Timbgrallers”. At 6.30 pm in Plaça de la Vila

Pregó The festival begins and this year the honour of proclaiming it open will fall to Carla Carbonell i Cortes. At 7 pm in Plaça de la Vila

Ball d’honor a les pregoneres. The dance of the Vila Eagle and Giants in honour of the four pregoneres after their pregó (opening speech). At 7.30 pm in Plaça de la Vila

Assaig casteller. The castellers de la Vila de Gràcia will offer a public rehearsal (assaig) as they prepare their performances for the coming days. At 8 pm in Plaça de la Vila

Monday 15 August, Diada de la Mare de Déu d’Agost

Traca. Exploding fireworks at 8 am in various streets.

Morning call from gralla players and drummers. At 8 am in Plaça de la Vila.

Morning gunfire and fireworks. From the Trabucaires, la Vella de Gràcia, The Dragon, la Diabòlica, Atzeries de la Vella, Gaudiamus del Coll andMalèfica del Coll. At 8 am in Plaça de la Vila.

Seguici d’autoritats. The local politicians and their retinue will leave the district offices and make their way to the festival mass in Santa Maria de Gràcia. Taking part will be Guàrdia Urbana police officers in dress uniform, the Capgrossos, the Giants, the Gegantons, the dragons (this is the only time of the year when you can see the Old and the New dragons), Atzeries de la Vella, Gaudiamus del Coll and the Eagle, accompanied by local residents. At 11 am from Plaça de la Vila.

Festa Major Mass. This has been held since the start of the 19th century and is the core of the festival. It includes a performance by the giants, who offer the Bouquet of flowers oh the giantess Llibertat to the Virgin. When Mass finishes, the castellers will build a human pillar, the trabucaires will fire off three rounds from their blunderbusses and the bastoners will do their stick dance of honour. At 11.30 am in the parish church of Santa Maria de Gràcia.

Festival morning. At 12.30 pm, the local politicians’ retinue heads back to Plaça de la Vila for the firework of “light-up” display of the folk groups, when the Lion of Gràcia will appear for the first time.

Cercavila de cultura popular. A musical parade with all the local folk groups and their guests. At 6 pm from Carrer Gran de Gràcia (junction with Carrer Santa Àgata) ending in Plaça de la Vila with the static firework displays.

Tuesday, 16 August, the feast day of Sant Roc

Cercavila de Sant Roc. Musical parade of folk groups assembles to make its way to Carrer de la Llibertat (corner with Carrer de la Fraternitat) to offer flowers to the statue of Sant Roc, At 10.30 am from Plaça de la Vila.

Taller de ball de bastons. A workshop where the Bastoners de Gràcia teach people to stick dance. At 11 pm in Carrer de la Fraternitat.

Assaig casteller. The castellers de la Vila de Gràcia will offer a public rehearsal (assaig) as they prepare their performances for the coming days. At 7 pm in Plaça de la Vila

Wednesday, 17 August

Display of ‘glosa’ poetry. At 5 pm in Plaça del Sol.

Decorated streets and squares prize presentation. The prizes will be announced for the decorated streets and square, as well as balconies and doorways. At 6 pm in Plaça de la Vila

‘Glosa’ combat. Sung poetry competition. At 6 pm in Plaça del Sol.

Sardana dancing. With music by the cobla (dance band) Sant Jordi – Ciutat de Barcelona. At 6.30 pm in Carrer de Bailèn.

Thursday 18 August

Cercavila led by the Festival Foundation giants. Torradet and Gresca come out to dance round the decorated streets. At 10.30 am from Plaça de la Vila.

Habanera singing. Led by the group la Guingueta and accompanied with rom cremat , burn rum. At 11 pm in Carrer de Ciudad Real.

Friday 19 August

Habanera singing. Led by the group Mar Endins. At 6 pm in Plaça de la Vila.

Pilar caminat. The Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia will build this traditional pillar which is “walked” from Plaça del Sol to Plaça de la Vila. At 8 pm from Plaça del Sol.

Diada Castellera de Vigílies. The local human tower builders have invited the Xicots de Vilafranca to the first of the festival human tower days. At 8.30 pm in Plaça de la Vila.

‘A baix a MAR!’. Dancing show with the Esbart Vila de Gràcia. At 11 pm at Plaça de Joanic.

Saturday 20 August

La Convidada dels Gegants. The Gràcia giants are inviting the Sallent giants to walk round the old town streets of Vila de Gràcia. They will set off from Plaça de la Vila, at 10.30 am. They will dance in Plaça de la Vila at 11 am and after the cercavila. At 6 pm, parade from Plaça del Sol to Plaça de la Virreina.

Diada castellera. With the Joves Xiquets de Valls, Xiquets de Reus and Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia. At 6 pm in Plaça de la Vila

Habanera singing. Led by the group Mar Brava. At 6.30 pm in Carrer de Verdi.

Habanera singing. Led by the group Pirats del Mar. At 7.30 pm in Carrer del Perill.

Sunday 21 August

Sardana dancing. With music performed by the cobla Ciutat de Cornellà. At 6 pm in Carrer de Verdi.

Toca dormir. Cercavila to round off the giant activities with the Gegants and Gegantons de Gràcia. At 6.30 pm from Plaça de la Virreina, ending in Plaça de la Vila.

Habanera singing. Led by Lali Rumba, Blai Casals i Montana, and accompanied with rom cremat , burn rum. At 7.30 pm in Placeta de Sant Miquel.

Tabalada. Drum warm-up for the adult and children’s correfocs or fire runs. At 7.30 pm from Plaça de la Trilla.

Children’s Fire Run. Fireworks in Plaça de la Vila and start of the Children’s Fire Run with Malsons de la Vella, the Escuats de la Malèfica del Coll and their guests. At 8.30 pm from Plaça de la Vila.

Versots infernals. The adult and young devils will present their traditional devilish verses! At 10 pm in Plaça de la Vila

Fire run. Involving all the adult’s groups from Vila de Gràcia and their guests. At 11 pm from Plaça de la Vila. When it finishes, at about 00.30 pm, the groups will light up in Plaça de la Vila.

Traca fi de festa. To bid the festival farewell, various streets organise a traca – strings of fireworks that explode one after the other.