It’s that time of year again when popular culture takes over the streets of Ciutat Vella for Barcelona’s winter festival. The city’s co-patron brings together local groups from a number of local neighbourhoods to share music, dance, fire and traditions from 9 to 12 February.

The City’s Eagle figure will be leaving the City Hall on Friday, 9 February (8 pm), to head the first procession in Barcelona’s winter festival, culminating with its dance in front of the altar in the Santa Maria del Mar church. The entourage that goes with the eagle will make its way around the streets, announcing the start of the festival. The next procession is on Saturday morning, when minigiants, big head figures and all manner of other traditional figures from the city’s culture groups and schools will dance their way around the city’ streets, headed by the Laia minigiant. On Sunday morning, it’s time for the gathering of giant figures in Ciutat Vella and the Santa Eulàlia entourage, with the minigiant Laia and the Santa Eulàlia banner leading the way. On Monday 12, the day of Santa Eulàlia itself, another procession with the Laia minigiant marks the end of the processions, with the ceremony for the Santa Eulàlia banner taking place at  the balcony of the City Hall at 9.45 am, with the Mayor and the municipal corporation, the Passejades de les Laies (when all the city’s giants adopt the name Laia and take a stroll together), the laying of a wreath at Baixada de Santa Eulàlia and the dance of the co-patron on Monday afternoon.

Fire and human towers

Fire is another of the central elements on Saturday, 10 February, with the fire run for little devils and little beasts starting from Pl. Sant Jaume at 6.30 pm and making its way along C/ Ferran, La Rambla, Pg. Colom and Pl. Reial. From 8 pm, the Santa Eulàlia Fire Run will follow the same route in the other direction, ending up in front of the City Hall.

On Sunday morning, the same square provides the setting for the traditional human towers meeting from 11.30 am, in an old-style event where all participating groups have sixty minutes to build all their structures simultaneously. Eight groups from the city will be taking part: Castellers de Barcelona, Sants, Vila de Gràcia, Poble-sec, Sagrada Família, Jove de Barcelona, Sarrià and the Esquerdats de l’Esquerra de l’Eixample.

Bicentenary of Anselm Clavé

There’s a chance to enjoy music at the stage in Pl. Sant Jaume on Friday 9 and Saturday 10. This year marks two centuries since the birth of the Barcelona musician, poet and journalist Josep Anselm Clavé. The Federació de Cors de Clavé have prepared a whole year of celebrations and commemorations, with the first big event on  Saturday, the day of Santa Eulàlia, with a concert where the group Sau 30 will team up with the choirs of Coral Cantanna de Vic and La Veu de Voltregà to sing Sau’s greatest hits with Pep Sala and the group paying tribute to Carles Sabater and fusing choral singing with rock. On Friday, the Tradicionàrius will be moving from Vila de Gràcia to Pl. Sant Jaume with the 37^th Tradicionàrius International Folk festival, filling the celebrations with music and a folk dance and concert from Glam Folk and La Cosina.

There’s also music at the Moll de la Fusta wharf on Saturday at the young people’s celebration of Lali Jove! The Barna Jove 2023 awards will be given at 8 pm and after that, at 8.30 pm, there are musical performances from Fades, Svetlana, Sexenni and DJ Trapella.

As for dance, Av. Catedral provides the setting for various traditional displays, such as the meeting for stick-dancing groups, the children’s Santa Eulàlia sardana dance meeting and the 19^th display from children’s and young people’s traditional dance groups on Saturday morning, plus the Ball de Santa Eulàlia, the performance by the Esbart Català de Dansaires in the afternoon. There’s also a chance to enjoy Eulàlia, the show by the Esbart Ciutat Comtal traditional dance group paying homage to the life of the saint.

As ever, many city facilities will be holding open days during the city’s winter festival, such as the City Hall, open from 10 am to 8 pm on 10 February, and various city museums.

You can find full information and the programme at barcelona.cat/santaeulalia.