Fiesta Mayor Sitges 2022

Fiesta Mayor Sitges 2023

Fiesta Mayor is one of the most important festivals in the Sitges event calendar, a traditional event that has become an international phenomenon.

• Are you visiting for Fiesta Mayor? This event is one of the most popular and also falls during the high season in August, so book well in advance. Stay at the Hotel Mim and enjoy the fireworks from their rooftop Skybar.

The Event

• Fiesta Mayor is the principal celebration of Sitges patron saint, Sant Bartomeu. Events include spectacular street processions, dancers, fire beasts and a stunning 30-minute pyrotechnical firework display on the Mediterranean.
• Events typically last a week, with the principal celebrations held on the evening of the 23rd and the day of the 24th.
• Festivities kick off in earnest on the 22nd, early in the morning, when the Sant Bartomeu flag is delivered to the president of the Comissió de Festa Major and the dancing giants (huge Papier Mache figures on stilts) are dressed and prepared for the processions to come.

August 23rd

• On August 23rd at noon, the entrance of Grallers (Gralla musicians, a Catalan wind instrument) takes place from Sant Francesc street, passing through Cap de la Vila, Calle Mayor and Plaza del Ayuntamiento.
• At 2 pm in the afternoon, the parish bells ring, the 21 canons shots are fired, and the sardans (traditional Sitges dances) perform in the town square, Cap De La Vila.
• At 2.15 pm in the afternoon, the parade of popular dances, papier mache giants, oversized caricatures, demons, dragons, eagles, etc. begins in the Town Hall atPlaça del Ajuntament.
• The parade goes through Calle Mayor to Cap de la Vila, where they stop, and the Moixiganga performs the complete dance (Moixiganga is a typical Sitgetan popular dance of great antiquity, representing religious scenes of the Passion of Christ).

A Villa Escape

• Celebrate August in Sitges in the privacy of your own villa. Check out the top villas available in Sitges or contact us if you need to organise a special occasion or celebration.
• We can provide a range of services from luxury airport pick-ups, private chefs, tours and more for the perfect NYE experience.

The Fireworks

• At 11 pm, the spectacular Fireworks of the Festival are launched from La Fragata, attracting thousands of visitors from across Spain and beyond.
• The fireworks last for almost thirty minutes and light up the night sky. Bars stay open until 4.40 am.
• Arrive on the paseo by 10.30 at the latest if you want an unobstructed view of the fireworks. Many people bring a picnic to the beach and start celebrating in the early evening.
• Some of the best vantage points are on the espigón, or breakwaters that separate Sitegs various beaches.
• Several restaurants with fireworks views and hotel rooftops book out well in advance.
• Many cruise ships host special viewing parties; however, these typically set sail from Barcelona.
• At the end of the fireworks, the festival of the Festa Major begins with sardines, dance music on the Paseo Marítimo and popular dances as they make their way along the Punta de Sitges staircase.

Hotels with Views of the Fireworks

• Hotel Subur – Seafront-facing rooms are larger, and many have wraparound balconies offering views of the beach and the fireworks. Just a one-minute walk to the gay bars.
• Hotel Calipolis – 4-star hotel with 170 rooms featuring larger balconies than other hotels and spacious rooms and suites. Opt for a suite on a higher level floor for the best views and even larger terraces.
• Hotel La Kalma – Popular seafront hotel with a large rooftop terrace, open to guests during the fireworks celebrations.

August 24th

• On August 24th, at 6 in the morning, popular dances perform “la matinal” (“cercavila” through the streets of the town).
• Mass is held in honour of Sant Bartomeu, and at the end, the dances perform the “Sortida d’ofici” and cover the short distance between the parish and the Town Hall while the cobla performs the Festa Major sardana, and the band plays its repertoire. The Castellers (human towers) perform their performance.
• In the afternoon, from 6.30 pm, there is another civic procession. The route changes from year to year.
• The parade ends at the entrance to the main church with a lighting of all the fires in the Plaza del Baluard in front of the church, with dancing and fireworks. It is one of the most emotional moments of the festivities.
• The giants, the dragon and the eagle, perform the last farewell dances.

Recommended Hotels in Sitges

Sitges is a compact village. All of the gay bars are located along a T Junction of Calle Bonaire, Calle Joan Tarrida and Plz Industria.

The Calipolis hotel,   Casa Vilella,   Hotel Mim,   Hotel Medium Park