Santa Eulalia is Barcelona’s winter party. It is on for three days this week, from Friday, February 10th to Sunday 12th.
It celebrates Barcelona’s other Patron Saint along with la Merce Virgin, whose festival occurs at the end of the summer, in September.
Santa Eulalia’s celebration is somewhat recent with its festival protocol established in the 1990s.
A popular culture party
Las Fiestas de Santa Eulalia is a more intimate party in contrast to la Merce’s.
The party is full of diverse popular culture activities for all ages: the procession of Laies, the Santa Eulalia parade, human towers, sardana dancing, and a fire run involving fire beasts and devils, among many others.
Children play a central part in the festivities. They will deliver the Children’s Proclamation on February 10th, which will officially kick-off the celebrations.
Who is Santa Eulalia?
Santa Eulalia was a 13-year-old Christian girl who refused religious persecution by the Romans in the fourth century.
She was tortured and killed for her beliefs and ideals. She died a martyr and became a symbol of solidarity and defence of justice.
The mini-giant Laia
The giantess Laia is a festival figure that symbolises the celebration of Santa Eulàlia.
She made her first public appearance on February 12th 1998, in the procession of Laies. Since then, she has been carried around by the youngest members of the Ciutat Vella’s colles geganteres, who also make her dance.
The mini-giant Laia turns 25 this year. You can read all about her secrets here.
Festival highlights
Here are some highlights of the festival:
-Exhibition of Laies at the Palau de la Virreina, from February 4th to 11th
-The procession of the Laies, a parade of the Ciutat Vella giantesses. The street parade is at 7 pm on the 12th, leaving from Placa de Josep Oriol and going through the old town
-The correfoc, the fire run that will start in la Rambla with a parade of the percussionists and finish in Placa de Sant Jaume.
Catalan fire runs are one of my favourite things to see during a street fest in Barcelona. It is so impressive to witness the guys dressed in devil costumes juggle with the firecrackers, especially the revolving carretilles, in an atmosphere of smoke, loud bangs, and explosive sounds.
Watching the entire experience with vibrant “devil dancing” on the rhythm of percussions and the happy crowd moving around is just captivating.
Beware though! You need to comply with some safety rules because, during a correfoc, there are actual fire sparklers. I got burnt on the chest once, watching a correfoc. It was a deep burn, and it hurt me for weeks. You need to protect your entire body, including your eyes and hair. I usually wear an old hoodie and my glasses. Safety is really important here!
-Sardana dancing on the 12th in Placa de Sant Jaume
Official website here.
Post edit 2023: I went to see the Laies exhibition in the Palau de la Virreina
It is a small exhibition. You can tour it in five minutes. Fifteen with all the photos and selfies ;). Go if you are in the area, strolling around the city or having lunch at la Boqueria.
All the city’s giantesses and some mini-giantesses are introduced along with a description of who and to which neighborhood they belong. I enjoyed their elaborated clothes and their bonhomie.
I was struggling to understand why the parade was called “the procession of the Laies” as there were here all the giant ladies of the city with their titles and neighborhoods. Then I read that on the day of the parade, they are all rechristened “Laia”. It makes sense to me now.
Palau de la Virreina
La Rambla, 99
08002 Barcelona
T 933 161 000
lavirreinaci@bcn.cat