In keeping with tradition, Sitges will be celebrating Sant Jordi on 23 April. The Councillor’s Office for Culture at Sitges Town Council is coordinating a programme of cultural and recreational activities with the collaboration of organisations and institutions, promoting this festivity that combines books, flowers and tradition. At the same time, the Councillor’s Office for Economic Promotion is organising the Sant Jordi fair in Passeig de la Ribera, with stalls selling books and roses from 10 am to 8 pm.

At the institutional stand, local writers will be signing their books and sharing time with readers throughout the day. The authors signing books this year will be Lídia Gázquez with El vent farà dissabte; Florenci Salesas with Dones cineastes, l’altra cara de l’espill; Aurora Maquinay with No em dic Jordina; Cristina Farré with Ho vam donar tot; Neus Bonet with Postals del paradís; Andreu Bosch with Escrits de Santiago Rusiñol a l’Esquella de la Torratxa. Volum 1; Josep Anton Trepat (coord.) with Un munt de crims i un haiku (3rd collection of narratives from the Lluna Negra reading club); Angi Cabal with Flores, vino y rock & roll; Raúl Bassas with Escribimos la leyenda. Las crónicas del Sporting Sitges; J.R. Manterzi with Nada es lo que parece; Cèlia Sànchez-Mústich with Si creus que hi soc; Àngels Parés Corretger and Berta Llorenç Dichós with Del Penendès als camps d’extermini nazis; Nacho Zubizarreta with Ni un instante de paz; A.G. Páez with El dinero al revés; Glòria Bosch Maza with Como pez en la jaula, and Susana Jiménez with Más allá de la herida. 

Other cultural options on the same day include the performance from the Sitges Canta choir in Passeig de la Ribera at 6.30 pm, in front of the statue of El Greco, offering a short performance a cappella for half an hour, and the traditional sardana dance session to round off the day with the Cobla Maricel ensemble in Cap de la Vila at 8.15 pm.

Before that, the official Sant Jordi programme starts on Tuesday, 15 April, with various local authors gathering on the terraces of the Biblioteca Santiago Rusiñol at 6.30 pm. During the evening, each writer at the library will have 60 seconds to read out a fragment of their work with the aim of helping readers choose their books ahead of the day itself.   

One of the most notable activities will be the opening speech for Sant Jordi, which in 2025 will be by the publisher Mar González, who ten years ago founded Babulinka Books, specialising in children’s and young readers’ literature. The speech will be on the terraces at the Biblioteca Santiago Rusiñol on the eve of Sant Jordi, 22 April, at 6.30 pm.

The programme for Sant Jordi concludes on 26 April. At 10.30 am, the Jardins del Casino Prado will be hosting the literary breakfast Pompeu Fabra: Jugada Mestra! The actor Òscar Intente will be presenting a theatrical presentation of the intellectual, human and political figure of the genius who described and organised the Catalan language. Afterwards there’s a debate on keeping Catalan alive, entitled Mantenim viva la llengua? El llegat de Fabra. General admission with breakfast included is 6 euros, and 3 euros for members of the centenarian organisation. Tickets can be purchased at casinoprado.cat or on the same day at the entrance to the gardens. 

The auditorium at the Miramar-Centre Cultural will be hosting ‘Sitges en Vers’ from 5 pm to 8 pm, an event with live music, dance and poetry recitals giving a voice to a collection of poems devoted to the Virgin of Montserrat, created by authors such as Pedrolo, Raspall, Carner, Espriu and Arderiu, published in 1957.

There is also a reading marathon for adults in the Sala Gòtica at the Museu de Maricel at 7 pm. Although the activity is free, anyone wishing to take part should book in advance using the museusdesitges.cat website or in person at the reception of Museus de Sitges.