This 2026, the celebration of the Tres Tombs in the Sant Antoni neighborhood of Barcelona will leave us with a completely unusual image after they had to be postponed last January due to bad weather and to guarantee the well-being of the participating animals. For this reason, the 201st edition will be celebrated next Saturday, May 16.
This year, the proclamation will take place at 10:30 a.m., in front of the Escola Pia de Sant Antoni, and will be given by Toni Sánchez, an activist of popular culture. A proclamation that will host the giants of Sant Antoni and the giant figures of the Market, accompanied by the renovated giants of the Colònies Jordi Turull, who will perform their dances as a prelude to the proclamation of the Parade.
Once the proclamation is made, the Cavalcada dels Tres Tombs will start, formed by numerous carriages with horses, donkeys and she-donkeys that will travel through several streets of Sant Antoni and the city center. However, the parade will present the great historical heritage of citizen, urban, agency or peasant transport that exists in our country.
The route
The route of the parade will be the following: avenue of Paral·lel, street of Tamarit, Comte Borrell, Parlament, ronda of Sant Pau, ronda of Sant Antoni, Villarroel, Floridablanca, ronda of Sant Antoni, square of the Universitat, street of Pelai, the Rambla, street of l’Hospital, Sant Antoni Abat, Manso, avenue of Paral·lel and square of Josep Puig i Cadafalch.
Tres Tombs participatory
As every year, the Federació Catalana dels Tres Tombs has opened up to the participation of the citizenry. This 2026, the entity PAIDEIA and a group of families with children with deafness from Barcelona will participate in this celebration, in two carriages provided by the organization, to be able to fully enjoy the festival from within and bring popular culture to everyone.
The history of the Tres Tombs
The Tres Tombs are held on the occasion of the festivity in honor of Saint Anthony Abbot, patron saint of domestic animals. The legend explains that if he saw a wounded animated being, he would heal it. And so he did with the piglet that he found in Barcelona, who to show him how grateful it was, accompanied him forever. For this reason, habitually the image of the saint is represented with this animal by his side.
Sant Antoni, who lived between the 3rd and 4th centuries AD, died on January 17. And this is the date that has remained to pay him homage.
The Tres Tombs parade of Barcelona has been celebrated, at least, since 1825, around the Portal de Sant Antoni Abat, a space that over the years gave way to the neighborhood that today we call Sant Antoni.
You can consult all the information regarding this festivity here.
