One of the most characteristic acts of the Santa Eulàlia festivities is the procession of the “Laias” on 12 February, when all the female giants, minigiants and children’s giants from the district of Ciutat Vella , big and small, take part in a procession. That day, in honour of the city’s patron, all of them are dubbed with the name Laia.

For some years now, these giants have been on display over the days of the festival. The display makes a return to the Palau de la Virreina this year, in the days prior to the city’s winter festival. The display will be on from 4 February to Saturday, 11 February, and features twenty giants: the Gegantona Laia, the Elisenda Petita, the Laia and the Elisenda del Pi, the Laia and the Gal·la de la Plaça Nova, the Quimeta dels Àngels and the Lola del Raval, the Laia Espir del Carrer de Vallespir, the Maria la Néta de la Barceloneta, the Cati and the Marieta de l’Ull Viu del Casc Antic, the Reina de Saba de Santa Maria del Mar, the Isabel the Constança de Sant Pere de les Puel·les, the Mercè de Sant Jaume Apòstol, the Borda de la Casa de la Caritat and the Violant de la Ciutat. As from the evening of Wednesday, 8 February, you can see the Violant de la Ciutat figure, which will be offering a surprise to mark the 600th anniversary of the giants in Barcelona.

As for the stroll, the Passejada de les Laies, this is on Sunday, 12 February, the day of Santa Eulàlia, as from 6.30 pm. The giants will be setting off from the Palau de la Virreina and making their way to their traditional gathering in Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol.

The procession follows, making its way around various streets in Ciutat Vella, heading down Baixada de Santa Eulàlia and ending up in Plaça de Sant Jaume with the dance for Santa Eulàlia to the sound of the Cobla Sant Jordi – Ciutat de Barcelona. The procession will be headed by the ‘true’ Laias: the Laia minigiant, Eulàlia de la Plaça Nova and Laia del Pi.