Sitges’ Festa Major (Major Festival), held from August 21st to the 27th in honor of Sant Bartomeu (Saint Bartholomew), the town’s patron saint, was declared to be an event of cultural interest by the Catalonian Generalitat (autonomous government of Catalonia). It’s an explosion of color, music and joy with giants, capgrossos (carnival figures with big papier-mâché heads) fire-breathing beasts and ancient dances like the diables (devils), bastons (stick dance), gitanes (gypsies), cercolets or moixiganga, among others.
On August 23rd, the entrance of grallas (a traditional Catalan flute-like instrument used for the Sardana dance) in Cap de la Vila Square, the fusillade of twenty-one morterets (explosions kind of like a 21 gun salute) and the peal of the church bells mean the start of the festival’s most popular acts which, open to all, continue with numerous processions around the town’s streets, a spectacular fireworks display from the Baluard (Bastion), the 6 o’clock matinal (early morning performance) the next day, solemn mass, processions, open-air dancing and sardanes (traditional Catalan dance).
Another tradition that Sitges has revived in recent years are the castellers (impressive human castles), and since 1993 the town has its own group once again.
