Sant Antoni and Sant Sebastià (January)

January is the month of fire festivals in Mallorca. On the eve of Sant Antoni (16 January) villages light "foguerons", huge bonfires where people grill sobrasada, botifarró and ribs, while the "dimonis" (devils) dance to the sound of the xeremies bagpipes. On the 17th animals are blessed in the "beneïdes". The most famous are in Sa Pobla, Artà and Manacor.

Three days later comes Sant Sebastià, Palma's patron saint: on the night of the 19th the city fills with stages for free concerts and barbecue grills in the squares, and the 20th is a holiday in Palma. Wrap up warm: the nights are cold and long.

The foguerons are lit at nightfall on 16 January, and the best part starts once they're burning: people bring grills and share sobrasada, botifarró and llonganissa with wine. Sa Pobla's night is the most intense, with the completes in the church, the cry of 'Visca Sant Antoni!' and a show of fire, light and music on Plaça Major. In Manacor and Artà the dimonis dance through the streets; Artà's festival has a character of its own, more tradition than spectacle.

To go, leave the car outside the centre: many streets close and parking is almost impossible. If you don't want to drive at night, SFM usually adds trains to Sa Pobla and Manacor that evening: check the special timetable on its website. Wear clothes you don't mind smelling of smoke and comfortable shoes. In Palma, the Revetla de Sant Sebastià on the 19th fills several central squares with stages and barbecues.

Frequently asked questions

When is Sant Antoni celebrated in Mallorca?

On the eve, the night of 16 January, with bonfires, music and dimonis; and on 17 January, the saint's day, with the beneïdes, the blessing of animals. The best-known villages are Sa Pobla, Manacor and Artà. Programmes change each year, so check with each town hall.

What are the dimonis of Sant Antoni?

Masked figures in devil costumes who dance, jump and tease the crowd during the Sant Antoni festivities. In the tradition they stand for the temptations of the saint, and they accompany the bonfires to the sound of the xeremia bagpipes and the tamborino drum.

Where is Sant Antoni celebrated in Mallorca?

Many villages light bonfires (foguerons), but the liveliest are Sa Pobla, Manacor and Artà, with dimonis dancing in the streets and, in Sa Pobla, a fire show in the Plaça Major. In Palma, the big party is the Revetla de Sant Sebastià on the night of 19 January.

What is celebrated at Sant Antoni?

The feast of Saint Anthony the Abbot, protector of animals. On the night of 16 January the bonfires are lit, people grill sobrasada and botifarró and the dimonis dance, representing the saint's temptations; on the 17th animals are blessed at the beneïdes.

Updated in November 2026