Giants dance for the Feast of Saint Josep Oriol
The celebrations will feature plenty of popular folk culture.
Lying in the heart of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter, the Pi neighbourhood is about to celebrate its annual local festival featuring giants figures and other folkloric icons of popular culture in honour of Saint Josep Oriol. So, 17 to 25 March in the neighbourhood will see giant figures dancing, and plenty more besides.
Activities will begin on Saturday 17 March with the bells tolling at El Pi church and the official opening speech, which will be given by Emili Boada, one of the neighbourhood's shopkeepers. The same day will see people dancing sardanes, human towers and a number of religious ceremonies, including the Remembrance of the Miracle of the Coins. The following days will feature parades, hot chocolate feasts, games and workshops.
23 March, the Feast of Sant Josep Oriol, is the biggest day of the celebration and, among other activities, will feature the Mulassa, a figure of a mule, who will take a festive walk through the streets of the district of the Pi accompanied by the Marxing Band Taller de Músics del Raval. The Bauma folk group will bring the fun to a close in the evening. However, the Festa Major Parade, with a multitude of figures, will actually be the last day of the festivities, on Sunday 25 March at noon.
The complete programme of the festivities is available at the following link.