After the Festa Major de Gràcia, the Sants Festival remains one of the most eagerly anticipated events of the Barcelona summer. In late August, when the sun isn’t quite so intense and you start to feel like putting on a light sweater in the evenings, a week of festivities kicks off—the perfect way to face the arrival of September and the end of summer vacation with a smile.
This year, the Festes Majors de Sants 2026 will be held from August 22 to 30, and, as tradition dictates, the opening speech will kick off nine days of activities, concerts, and popular culture. The traditional opening speech will be followed by days filled with music, workshops, dances, and other expressions of neighborhood culture, culminating in the highly anticipated Piromusical show at Parc de l’Espanya Industrial.
When are the 2025 Sants Festivities?
Photo: Barcelona City Council | Flickr
This year, the Festes Majors de Sants 2026 will begin on Saturday, August 22, with a parade at 7:00 p.m., which will wind through the neighborhood’s streets from Cotxeres de Sants to Parc de l’Espanya Industrial.
The opening speech, delivered by Leticia Dolera
This year, the opening speech for the Sants Festes Majors will be delivered by the renowned actress and film director Leticia Dolera.
The opening speech will take place on Saturday, August 22, at 8:00 p.m. in the Parc de l’Espanya Industrial. For those who cannot attend in person, the event can be watched live via the channels provided by City Hall. In addition, the event will feature sign language interpretation to ensure accessibility for people with hearing impairments.
Before the opening speech
Before the opening speech, at 7:00 p.m., the festival parade will set off from Cotxeres de Sants to Parc de l’Espanya Industrial, where, at 7:30 p.m., there will be dances and performances by the neighborhood’s folk culture groups.
What does the poster for the 2025 Festa Major de Sants mean?
In her graphic design for this year, Mamen Díaz sought to convey the idea that “a lot happens at night during the Festes Majors.” To create the poster’s image, she drew inspiration from her own feelings as the festive night falls, amid the music and summer heat: friends hugging, a couple kissing, and neighbors dancing on their balconies—capturing the nocturnal, communal, and festive spirit of Sants.
Highlights of the 2026 Festa Major de Sants
Highlights of the 2026 Sants Festa Major
As every year, the 2026 Sants Festival features hundreds of events, but here are some of the highlights so you don’t miss a thing:
- Parade and popular culture: A festive tour with the neighborhood’s “colles” before the reading of the opening proclamation.
- Floral Offering to Saint Bartholomew: Mass and an offering by the committees and the Castellers de Sants to the patron saint.
- Awards for Decorated Streets: Presentation of the official awards for the street decoration contest.
- Casteller Day and Correfocs: A performance by the Castellers de Sants featuring a “pilar caminado,” a children’s correfoc in the afternoon, and the grand nighttime correfoc.
- Closing Ceremony: Morning sports activities and a pyromusical show to conclude the individual events.
All the streets decorated for the 2026 Sants Festival
One of the main attractions of the Festes de Sants is the decoration of its streets, a tradition dating back to 1943 that remains deeply rooted in the neighborhood. This year, 11 streets and squares will participate in the decoration contest, transforming the neighborhood into a veritable open-air museum of ephemeral art.
On Monday, August 24, the prizes for the decoration contest will be awarded at 7:30 p.m. at the Parque de la España Industrial.
The streets decorated this year and their themes are:
Vallespir de Dalt: The world of the movie *Ratatouille* in Parisian restaurants.
Alcolea de Dalt: A reenactment of the historic Montjuïc motor racing circuit.
Alcolea de Baix: The Lost Sock (that odd sock we all have lying around at home).
Finland: Crazy Lab (celebrating its 45th anniversary with experiments and scientific exhibits).
Galileu: Inspired by Hollywood—with a Walk of Fame included!
Guadiana: A Magical Bakery (chocolates, pastries, giant croissants, and sweet surprises).
Plaza de la Farga: Inspired by the movie *The Lorax*, with a message of environmental awareness.
Papin: The 1936 People’s Olympics in Berlin (with period illustrations and posters).
Sagunt: Sagunt i punt (compositions of geometric figures created from dots).
Valladolid: The Silk Road.
Vallespir de Baix: Decorations in support of a dignified, high-quality public education system and schools.
The winning street from last year’s festival
In the 2025 edition, Valladolid Street took home the jury’s first prize thanks to its spectacular decorations.
The Concerts of the 2026 Sants Festival: A Guide to Over 180 Performances
As every year, the streets and squares of Sants become the stages for the town festival, with dozens of concerts and musical performances from Saturday, August 22, through Sunday, August 30.
Among the musical highlights of the 2026 program are the Nit de concerts at Parc de l’Espanya Industrial featuring Juny del 99 and Mala Vida (Tuesday, August 25), as well as the concert lineup organized by the Castellers de Sants in Plaça Can Climent with groups such as Ambauka (Sunday, August 23), Fades i Llum (Monday, August 24), and the lineup for Friday, August 28, featuring Bons nois, Al·lèrgiques al Pol·len, and 2 de Pega DJ.
The Map of the 2025 Sants Festes Majors: Transportation and Road Closures
From August 22 to 30, traffic will be restricted on various streets due to the Festes Majors events. Therefore, we recommend using public transportation to get to the festivities.
In the days leading up to the festival, the decorated streets will be closed off at specific times to allow for the installation of entrance gates, ceiling decorations, and other structures for the guarnits.
On Sunday, August 30, starting first thing in the morning, traffic will be restricted on the sections of road where the traditional running and cycling races of the Festa Major take place.
Accessibility at the 2026 Sants Festes Majors: Guided Tours of the Streets
The 2025 Festa Major de Sants is committed to being more diverse and accessible. This year, several activities and venues have been adapted to ensure the participation of people with limited mobility, visual impairments, hearing loss, or autism.
Highlighted Activities
- Saturday, August 22 (8:00 p.m.): Festival opening speech at Parc de l’Espanya Industrial by Leticia Dolera. With sign language interpretation.
- Monday, August 24 (7:30 p.m.): Awards ceremony for the Decorated Streets Contest at Parc de l’Espanya Industrial. With sign language interpretation.
- Wednesday, August 26, Thursday, August 27, and Friday, August 28 (6:00–7:30 p.m.): Historical tours of Sants’ heritage sites with limited spots and adapted itineraries. Meeting point: District headquarters (104 Creu Coberta St.).
Eating in Sants: Gastronomic Festivals
Going out to eat in Sants is a celebration in itself. The neighborhood, as large as it is, is one of the city’s great gastronomic treasures, offering fantastic dining options of all kinds, with a special focus on traditional Catalan cuisine.
That’s why we’re sharing our guide to the best restaurants in Sants—or, at least, our favorites. We’ve also included a few more here, so you don’t miss a thing.
- Buenavista.The best Russian salad in the neighborhood.
- Tramendu. Catalan cuisine reimagined in every sense of the word. The kind of restaurant we’d love to have in any neighborhood, featuring well-prepared local cuisine and a menu that spans from breakfast through a leisurely dinner.
- Bodega Bartolí.A classic vermouth and gilda bar—a must-visit.
- Bodega Montferry.The sandwiches at Montferry—need we say more?
- Kobuta Ramen. A hidden ramen spot in Sants that has made a name for itself.
- Forno Bomba.An Italian bakery offering sourdough bread, pizza by the slice, focaccia, and cinnamon buns. That’s it. What more could you want?
- La Mundana. One of Barcelona’s historic gastrotaverns, serving contemporary and creative cuisine at reasonable prices for years now. Its bravas are already legendary in the city.
- Gurí. A new spot with a cuisine similar to La Mundana’s, but featuring Uruguayan influences from its chef. Great ideas in the kitchen and excellent vegetarian dishes.
- Acero.The hamburgers and patatas bravas that have won a thousand awards. A sure bet for a party, obviously.
- Bar Tremendo.One of our favorite places in the city for tortillas.
- Las tres mentiras:A top-notch Mexican restaurant that transports you to Mexicoand has become a little-known gem among taco lovers. A must-try for authentic Mexican food.
- La Bricciola: The pizzeria run by TikTok’s most famous pizzaiolo, Pino Prestanizzi, makes some truly delicious pizzas—beyond any online trends—so go ahead, give them a try and say“Un tre!”
After the Gràcia Festival
Many of us start thinking about the Sants Festival while the Gràcia Festival is still going on. That’s why we’re providing you with all the information related to the other major summer festival right here, so you can have both articles with everything you need to know.
