The Josep Uclés room of the El Carme Cultural Center hosts from March 7 and until next May 24 the exhibition “Forgers of the Festival. Big-heads, in the shadow of the giants”. The exhibition, organized by the Badalona City Council and Xitxarra - Festival Studies Group and curated by Oriol Rodríguez and Gorka Sol, reconstructs the history of the big-heads in the city of Badalona and their weight in local traditions.
The exhibition brings together, exceptionally, big-heads from all over the country identical to those that had existed in Badalona and that today have disappeared, to partially recreate the old troupes. Step by step, the visitor will discover what a big-head is, what typologies exist, what music and what dances have accompanied them and what uses they have had throughout time. It is, therefore, an invitation to rediscover the figures that, from the shadows, have paved the way for the festival.
Exhibition visiting hours:
Monday to Friday: from 16 to 20 hours
Saturdays: from 10 to 14 hours and from 16 to 20 hours
Sundays: Closed except April 26 and the Sundays of May, which can be visited from 10 to 14 hours
Public holidays: from 10 to 14 hours
From March 30 to April 6, closed for Easter
Free admission
Complementary activities
Within the framework of the exhibition, complementary activities are also organized, such as workshops, round tables and conferences, arranged guided visits and guided visits for schools:
March 12, at 7 p.m.
“From the workshop to the party: "El Ingenio" of Barcelona”
Conference by Joan Pozo Marcet, giant figure carrier.
March 26, at 7 p.m.
“Heads with character – Table of singular big-heads”
Round table
April 16, at 7 p.m.
“More than a century of big-heads in Badalona (1881–today)”
Conference by Oriol Rodríguez, curator of the exhibition and giant-bearer.
April 25, at 10:30 hours
“The Dream of a Tadpole, 25 years later”
- Projection of “The dream of a Big-head” with subsequent discussion with some of its creators and participants.
- Round table: “The dream continues: different characters for the big-heads of 2026”
All activities are free
Guided visits for the educational community
There will be guided visits for the educational community of the city on the following dates and times:
- Between March 9 and April 30, on weekdays, and at the following time slots: at 9, 10 and 11 hours.
The visits are intended for 5th and 6th grade primary education students and for secondary education students. Prior registration is required at elcarme@badalona.cat. These visits are free.
The number of people per visit at most is that of the class group. Reservations must be made at least five days in advance of the chosen date for the visit.
Arranged guided visits
Sunday, March 22 and April 12 at 12 hours
Free visit. Prior registration required at elcarme@badalona.cat.
These visits will be organized if the minimum number of visitors is reached (minimum groups of 6 and maximum of 25).
More information:
