The Festa Major de Santa Tecla of this 2024 takes shape from this weekend, although the main core of the festival will take place around the day of Santa Tecla, on September 23rd. Among these, the transfer of the image of Santa Tecla is scheduled for Friday 20 September at 20.30h, when the Festa Major Commission will receive the image from the hands of the rector of the parish and transfer it to the home of the pendonista, Rosa Hernández Matas, in Calle Jesús, 6, where it will be on display. As is tradition, the vigil will have the 21 ‘morterets’ and the ringing of the bells at 2pm and from 7pm the civic procession will take place between the pendonista's home and the parish church. For the first time for Santa Tecla, a section of the Civic Procession route has been planned where no rockets with thunder will be fired and the volume of the music will be reduced so that people with acoustic sensitivities can enjoy the dances and hors d'oeuvres. It will be in Carrer Sant Isidre, and the location will be called ‘Tramo en calma’.

The day of Santa Tecla, on 23rd September, will begin with the children's Matinal, with three different routes according to age and dances, which will lead to the Office at 11am. In the afternoon, the procession of Santa Tecla will begin at 7pm and will close with the Entrada de Santa Tecla and the subsequent final dance of the Drac and the l'Àliga and the three pairs of giants.

Before this special day of the festival, this weekend Santa Tecla opens on Friday with the inauguration of the exhibition ‘Del garatge al carrer’, at 6pm at the Mercat vell. In this renovated space, you can see a sample of the festive image that participates in the children's Matinal of Santa Tecla. In the evening, at the Casino Prado, the new Pubilla and the Hereu de Sitges will be chosen at the Night of the Pubilles and the Hereus, organised by Foment de Sitges.

Saturday evening and night will be dedicated to the Nit de Foc, with the Timbalada at 7.30 pm, the Espetegafoc at 8.30 pm and the Correfoc from 9.30 pm. The night will close with concerts at La Fragata. On the morning of the same Saturday, it will be the turn of giants, cabeçuts (big head) and little dragons, who will have their performance space at the Hort de Can Falç at 11 am.

On Sunday morning, the protagonists will be the giants, cabeçuts and children's dances, which at 10 am will leave the Town Hall square on a route to La Fragata, where there will be a joint dance and an exhibition of the children's white dances. In the afternoon, from 5.30 p.m. and from the Pont del Domènech, the children's fire beasts and the three children's groups of the Ball de Diables de Sitges will set off. Once they arrive at the Fragata, the three groups of devils will perform the spoken dance, with their verses. Afterwards, they will perform a joint lighting to celebrate the 25th anniversary of their foundation.

Santa Tecla maintains the singularity of the performance of children, also in the dances of devils and dragons and children's eagles. That is why a course has already been held for minors and adults who have to handle pyrotechnics, to explain the notions of safety and to obtain the certificate of Recognised Expert Consumers (CRE). A total of 45 people attended the course, which this year took place in the auditorium of the Miramar Cultural Centre on the evening of September 6th This certificate is essential to take part in the children's parades and the children's Matinal, but those who have already obtained it in previous editions do not need to renew it.

The programme of events for the Sitges town festival includes the use of pyrotechnics from 13 to 24 September. The programme of events specifically indicates the events with pyrotechnics, which can also be consulted in digital format at www.sitgesfestamajor.cat

The Festa Major will have itinerant Lila Points and fixed Lila Points, the latter located in the concert area of Passeig de la Ribera on 22 and 23 from 11pm to 4.30am. This safe and intimate space offers information, resources and support in the event of a machism or lgtbiphobic aggression. You can find more information about the Sitges Town Festival at www.sitgesfestamajor.cat