Foguerons de Sa Pobla a Gràcia 2019

Have you ever wandered among bonfires in the streets of Barcelona in the midst of winter? Have you ever eaten 'morcilla' sausages cooked over an open fire in the middle of a square? If you haven't and you'd like to tick that off your list of things to do in your lifetime, don't miss the 'Sa Pobla a Gràcia' celebration. Sa Pobla is a small town in Mallorca, where, every year for the feast day of Saint Anthony, they put on an ancestral and traditional party with bonfires, 'xeremiers' who play types of flutes and bagpipes, plus 'zambombas' (friction drums), wandering poetry recitals and singers of traditional folk songs.

In 1993 the tradition made its way to the streets and squares of Barcelona's Gràcia neighbourhood, and ever since, the party has been a reason for natives of Mallorca, Menorca and Ibiza, and other Balearic islanders to come together and celebrate, whether they're just visiting or live in Barcelona. With traditional dancing, food, music, and yes, bonfires ('foguerons') in the middle of the street, get ready to join one of the most traditional festivals in Mallorca, without leaving Barcelona. 

Although Saint Anthony's feast day is January 17, the Gràcia bonfires are lit the last weekend of the month so that groups from Sa Pobla con get from Mallorca over to Barcelona for the celebration. This year the big day is on Saturday, January 26. Things kick off at noon with a session of folk music in the Lesseps, Estrella, Llibertat and Abaceria markets, with Mallorcan xeremiers and glosadores. You'll also be able to enjoy the puppet show 'Bruixeries' from the Teresetes Mitjorn company in the Centre de Cultura Popular la Violeta de Gràcia (Maspons, 6). At night activities get underway at 7.30pm, when the groups all meet up in Plaça de la Vila for traditional dances that lead into the parade, which sets out at 8.30pm for Plaça de la Virreina. There, at 9.30pm, the bonfires are lit and the party really gets started.

If you're interested in more, before the big day there are plenty of related activities on as well. On Thursday the 24th at the Centre Artesà Tradicionàrius (C.A.T.) bar, at 8pm there's a tasting of Mallorcan products, brought to you by Glosadors de les Illes and Cor de Carxofa. Plus you can catch the inauguration of the exhibition 'Un mundo de mil demonios', which is a look at cultural expressions from around the world and the search for demonic figures that can be seen as equivalents or counterpoints of Mallorcan demons. The show is shared among three centres in Gràcia: the C.A.T., La Violeta de Gràcia and the Orfeó Gracienc.

On Friday the 27th t the C.A.T. there's a tradtional dance ('baile de bot'), brought to you by a historic group from the Islands, 'S'Estol des Gerricó, which you can attend for €12. And at 7pm you can take a class to learn the most traditional Mallorcan dances, and then put them into practice at the dance that starts at 10pm.