The Feast of St. Joseph Oriol is full of popular culture activities, diverse and for all ages. Many acts are starred by the Giants of Pi, which are one of the oldest in Catalonia: the first reference of its main characters, Mustafa and Elisenda, is from 1601, and Oriol and Laia, from 1780. For several days the legend of the saint and the robberies of the Catalan bandit Perot Rocaguinarda, who was a neighbor of the neighborhood, are staged. Also noteworthy among the activities of this festival, the night parade of the Mulassa, the parade of the Oriols, the meeting of giants, bigheaded and bestiary, the day of castellers and dances.
The Feast of St. Joseph Oriol has been celebrated since 1995, when the Association of Friends of the Gegants del Pi and the merchants and neighbors of the neighborhood decided to remember the figure of Josep Oriol (saint who was born and lived in the area in the second half of the seventeenth century, highly revered for his dedication to the sick and the poor) with various events around the festival.
Main activities of the Feast of St. Joseph Oriol 2024
Beginning of the festivities
Proclamation of the festivities by Itziar Gonzalez, architect, urban planner and former councilor of the Ciutat Vella District. Then there will be the traditional Remembrance of the miracle of the coins of Sant Josep Oriol, the Announcement of the "Baladrer", the Tronada of the beginning of the Festival, the Parade announcer and the Dance of the four original Giants of Pi, some figures of the nineteenth century that only go out to the street that day.
Date and time: March 16 at 10:30 h
Place: Plaça del Pi
Castellers Day
Diada Castellera with the Castellers of Barcelona, the Jove de Barcelona and those of Cerdanyola.
Date and time: March 16 at 17:00 h
Place: Plaça del Pi
The Altarpiece of Sant Josep Oriol
Sacred drama performed by hundreds of people, who make possible this spectacular work in which the original small giants of the Pi and the Mulassa of Barcelona participate.
Date and time: March 16 at 20:00 h
Place: Basílica de Santa María del Pi
Bestieses. The guests of the Lleó and the Mulassa of Barcelona
In this edition, Lleó will invite l'Àliga de Cervera, and La Mulassa de Barcelona will welcome Garot de l'Arboç.
Day and time: March 17 at 10:00 h
Starting place: Plaça de Sant Felip Neri
Children's parade
Parade with the participation of the neighborhood schools.
Day and time: March 22 at 18:00 h
Starting point: Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol
Emmulassa't
Accompanied by the Marxing Band of the Taller de Músics del Raval, the Mulassa de Barcelona will perform a festive walk, which will end with a dance that will then give way to the Festa Major dance at 11:00 pm in the Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol.
Day and time: March 22nd at 21:30 h
Starting place: Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol
The Oriols Parade
One of the most anticipated events. It begins with the traditional Passejada dels Oriols (the giants of Ciutat Vella) who, invited by the giant Oriol del Pi, make the floral offering to Sant Josep Oriol while the neighbors throw chocolate coins.
Date and time: March 23rd at 10:30 am
Starting point: Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol
The Perot lo lladre's robberies
A gymkhana to rob stores and discover where Perot lo lladre (the thief) is hiding.
Day and time: March 23rd at 18:15 h
Starting place: Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol. Perot will hide in a store in the streets Pi, Boters, Portaferrissa, Petritxol, Cardenal Casanyes, Boqueria, Banys Nous, Ave Maria, and in the squares Pi and Sant Josep Oriol.
Morning of Grallers
The grallas and drums from all over the city will wake up the neighborhood with their music and gunpowder shots.
Day and time: March 24 at 8:00 h
Starting place: Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol
Meeting of Giants, Bigheaded, Bestiary and traditional dances.
They will arrive from all over Catalonia to accompany the Giants of Pi, Lleó and Mulassa of Barcelona in the most multitudinous act of the festivities of Sant Josep Oriol.
Date and time: March 24 at 10:00 h
Place: Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol
Final dances
With the dance of the invited characters and the Giants of Pi.
Day and time: March 24 at 13:30 h
Place: Plaça de Sant Josep Oriol
Tronada, end of the festival
By the Estalella Pyrotechnics. It can be seen from the squares and streets around the Basilica.
Date and time: March 24th at 13:45 h
Place: bell tower of the Basilica of Santa Maria del Pi.
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