We’re back! The Santa Eulàlia Festivities are a vital time in the city’s festive calendar. During the weekend of 10 to 12 February, the streets will be filled with sparks, dance, music and tradition, while we celebrate our big winter festival with groups from many of Barcelona’s neighbourhoods.

The festival begins with the opening of two exhibitions of festival imagery. Once again, the Laies will be on display at the Palau de la Virreina (4 to 11 February, from 10 am to 8 pm), while the children’s and school giants will be shown at the Casa de la Caritat’s Pati Manning (4 to 10 February, from 10 am to 8 pm). The children’s giants exhibition will be inaugurated at 6 pm on Saturday 4, with a concert by La Nota Grallera.

The Santa Eulàlia Festivities are also a very special time for the kids, who work hard, year after year, to do the Children’s festival-opening speech (Friday 10. at 10 am) and take a leading role with the children’s and school giants, the children’s fire devils, the children’s dance schools and the smallest beasts. All of these expressions of popular culture are headed by the emblem of the festival: the giant Laia, who is 25 years old this year! In reality, Laia first appeared on 12 February 1998, and since then, she has become one of the best-loved figures in the city.

But the celebrations don’t end there. Once again, we will also be able to enjoy the year’s first outing of the Popular Retinue, featuring giants, lacemakers, the Barcelona Falcons, stick-dancing groups (who have invited a sword-dancing group this year), the Clavé choirs with “Clavé in love”, bell-ringing from the Palau de la Generalitat, the Fire Run and the Children’s Fire Run, sardana dancing and choir singing, as well as various new features, such as a Festa Major concert-dance, organised by Tradicionàrius (Saturday 11 at 9 pm), which will feature the groups Riu X and Todos los Gatos son Pardos. The Eulàlia Route has also been scheduled, with enrolment opening on Monday 6 February, along with the Diada Castellera, which will be this year’s first opportunity to see the city’s eight tower-building groups together.

Lali Jove is back: the Santa Eulàlia Festivities programme created for and by young Barcelona residents. The event starts at 5 pm on Saturday 11, at Moll de la Fusta, featuring various simultaneous activities and workshops organised by city youth organisations. There will be a quiz on the situation of disabled women and their rights (women, rights and disability); an activity to raise awareness about the Western Sahara; a skateboard and urban culture workshop; a stall providing information about leisure activities; an activity about the Erasmus programme, and more. At 7 pm, there’s musical bingo and the #BarnaJove 2022 prizes will be awarded. In the evening there are concerts by Queency (9 pm), FigaFlawas (9:50 pm), Julieta (11:10 pm) and Les que faltaband (1 am).

Furthermore, at 7:30 pm on Wednesday 8 February, Palau de la Virreina will be presenting the Barcelona gegantera book and website, a multimedia catalogue of all the city’s giants, including interviews and all the dances pertaining to each group. This event begins the celebrations for the 600th anniversary of City Giants, which will include a surprise.

Without forgetting the Laies, these are the giants that parade around the city every 12 February, and which, like Santa Eulàlia, keep alive the brave, solidarity spirit of Barcelona residents from all eras.

Have a great Festa Major!