Festa de la Poesia

Programme of the 19th Poetry Festival

Saturday, 7 November

Welcoming the Poets

The square in front of the railway station, where other celebrated poets arrived in 1918, is already waiting for this year’s poets! They will be welcomed by everyone who wishes to greet them: the people of Sitges, local authorities, pubilles and hereus (traditional Catalan festival representatives), and the Suburband brass band.

Location: Plaça d’Eduard Maristany

Time: 12 noon

Street Parade

The street parade will begin shortly afterwards, led by the band. From their balconies, holding carnations, local residents Teresa Tort and Prado G. Velázquez will celebrate the poets’ arrival. They will also be greeted by distinguished figures such as journalist and correspondent Rosa M. Calaf, meteorologist GoriMassip, singer-songwriter Ramon Mirabet and young actor Jan Serra. Along the route, the six streets in the town that will proudly bear the names of the guest poets for one weekend will be officially inaugurated.

Upon reaching the Town Hall square, Vinyet Panyella will present the Festival Book. The girls and boys of the Casino Prado Dance School and the host poets from Sitges and the surrounding region will bring the welcome ceremony to a close. Everyone will be invited to enjoy a refreshing drink.

After the welcome ceremony, the poets will have lunch in one of the Palau de Maricel’s most emblematic spaces.

A Grand Poetic Constellation

The Poetry Festival will hold its main event at El Retiro.

The show will bring together the memorable Captura d’ànimes, by the La Tija company; readings by our six guest poets; and the Personalised Concert, featuring singer Jui and musicians Arnau Burdó (piano) and Ricard Puigdomènech (guitar), who will perform the poets’ favourite songs.

Students from Sitges’ Language Normalisation Programme will open the event in their native languages and in Catalan.

After the show, the poets will have dinner on the terraces of the Grup d’Estudis Sitgetans.

Location: El Retiro

Time: 6.30 pm

Sunday, 8 November

In the Mirror: Artists, Musicians and Poetry

We will meet at the contemporary art museum founded by the artist Pere Stämpfli, a distinguished figure in Sitges who recently passed away. We will pause in front of six works of art as members of the Aiguacuit artistic collective surprise us with a creative pairing of six poems by the guest poets and six visual artworks from the collection. Musicians Marc Marcet, trumpet player, and Roger Pascual, clarinettist, will accompany us with musical interludes. At the end of the event, there will be a group photograph of the poets with everyone who wishes to join them.

Location: Fundació Stämpfli

Time: 11 am

A Game of Affinities: Young Poets, Music, Children...

The Santiago Rusiñol Library will open its doors to the voices of three young and vibrant poets: Carla Marco, Jun Komura and Andreu Alós, who will recite their verses. As tradition dictates, they will address the guest poets with special, individual dedications. We will also enjoy the sonic delights of Florenci Salesas on the synthesiser. To bring the event to a close, a group of children from Sitges will visit and present the guests with drawings they have created based on the poets’ work.

Location: Santiago Rusiñol Library

Time: 12.30 pm

The Traditional Poets’ Lunch

To bring the Festival to a close in keeping with tradition, the Poets’ Lunch will take place at El Retiro. The after-lunch gathering will feature artistic entertainment, including gralla music (traditional Catalan wind instruments), personalised toasts, cabaret songs and surprises...

The lunch is open to Festival patrons who make the contribution that includes admission tickets. Become a patron here: https://vkm.is/poesia2026.

Location: El Retiro function hall

Time: 2 pm