Sant Medir 2026: a shower of sweets and unexpected changes to the Gràcia and Sant Gervasi festivities

The Sant Medir festival 2026 arrives with tonnes of sweets and new features. Gràcia, Sant Gervasi and La Bordeta are preparing for a celebration marked by restrictions and cancellations. Discover dates, routes and surprises.

This year, Sant Medir’s arrival in Barcelona promises to transform the streets of Gràcia, Sant Gervasi and La Bordeta into a true spectacle of colour and sweetness. The tradition of throwing sweets from horses and floats remains alive, but the 2026 edition is marked by changes affecting both the routes and the central events.

Tuesday 3 March will be the main day in Gràcia and Sant Gervasi, while La Bordeta and Sants will celebrate the festival on Sunday 8 March. However, the pilgrimage to the hermitage of Sant Medir in Sant Cugat has been cancelled for the second consecutive year because of restrictions in Collserola due to swine fever. The traditional mass moves to the parish of Sant Joan de Gràcia, and the Sarrià neighbourhood is once again left without a parade because of a lack of participation.

Among the new features is the special outing of the popular-culture groups on Saturday 21 February, including a correfoc, which promises to fill Gràcia’s streets with fire and rhythm. The programme of events extends over several weeks, with a blessing of sweets, workshops, street processions and the eagerly awaited proclamation from the district balcony.

On 3 March, from early morning, the groups will travel through Gràcia’s main streets throwing sweets to a public that each year waits with bags and upturned umbrellas. In the afternoon, the grand parade will descend Gran de Gràcia to the Jardinets, where the groups will greet the authorities and exchange sweets in a festive, crowded atmosphere.

In Sant Gervasi and Farró, the festival follows the same rhythm: a morning street procession and joining the Gràcia groups in the afternoon for the grand parade. La Bordeta and Sants, for their part, celebrate on Sunday 8 March with a gathering of groups, a route through neighbourhood streets and the traditional solemn mass, followed by the presentation of commemorative ribbons and a final aperitif for participants.

The programme is completed by shop-window competitions, photography contests, casteller gatherings and participation in events such as the Revolta de les Quintes and the arrival of the Flama del Canigó. This year’s poster, by Diego Gil, pays tribute to the festival’s most iconic symbols and to the excitement that fills the city every 3 March.

The 2026 edition of Sant Medir is experienced between anticipation over the return of the sweets and uncertainty over health restrictions and a lack of participation in some neighbourhoods. Even so, the essence of the festival endures and Barcelona is preparing to receive tonnes of sweets and unforgettable moments.

The history of Sant Medir is deeply linked to Gràcia’s identity. It began in the 19th century as a personal promise and soon became one of the neighbourhood’s most cherished celebrations. The custom of throwing sweets arose as a symbol of generosity and collective joy, and over time spread to other districts. Today, the festival reflects the vitality of Barcelona’s popular culture and neighbourhoods’ ability to reinvent themselves without losing their roots.