Sant Antoni, Sa Pobla & Beyond
16 - 17 January 2026
On two winter nights every January, Mallorca swaps chill for cinders. Demons dance, bonfires roar, and the island’s villages sing, grill, and bless their beasts in honor of Sant Antoni Abat, patron saint of animals. The heart of it all is Sa Pobla, whose celebration has grown into the island’s most spectacular homage to fire and faith.
Why Sa Pobla is the epicentre
Sa Pobla’s link to Sant Antoni is centuries-deep. Records mention festivities there as early as 1365, reflecting the town’s agrarian soul and devotion to the saint who protects working animals. Today that heritage fuels the island’s most elaborate program—complete with demons (dimonis), bonfires (foguerons), improvised verse (gloses), and even a famed pyromusical that packs the main square.
The choice of patron isn’t accidental: Mallorca’s farming past made Sant Antoni central to rural life, and Sa Pobla—still ringed by fields—embraced him as its protector. That agricultural identity is why the town “goes all out,” turning reverence into a roaring street spectacle every January.
A brief history of Sant Antoni on Mallorca
The festival is observed island-wide on January 16–17, with roots in medieval rites asking for good harvests and healthy livestock. Over time, Catholic devotion layered in: Masses, the Beneïdes (animal blessings), and the figure of Antoni resisting temptation while devils cavort—now portrayed by masked dimonis who lead dances, chases, and fire shows. The soundscape is unmistakable: ximbomba friction drums and singers swapping witty, improvised couplets (glosadors) by the glow of the bonfires.
2026: What to expect across the island
In 2026, the Revetla (eve) falls on Friday, January 16, and Sant Antoni’s day on Saturday, January 17—a weekend setup that usually means even bigger crowds.
Friday 16 January: Revetla de Sant Antoni
Bonfires & grills everywhere: Towns large and small build foguerons—neighborhood bonfires where residents roast sobrassada and botifarrons, sing gloses, and drum along on ximbombes. Expect this in Sa Pobla, Manacor, Artà, Pollença, Muro, and Palma, among many others.
Departure of the dimonis: Official devil troupes ignite the night with ritual dances and fire. Some municipalities add correfoc fire-runs and choreographed pyromusicals; Sa Pobla is renowned for staging the biggest spectacle.
Saturday 17 January: The day of Sant Antoni
Beneïdes (animal blessings): After morning Mass, animals line up to be sprinkled with holy water. The largest blessings typically unfold in Muro and Palma (Cathedral esplanade), but every town holds its own. Bring pets; expect horses, donkeys, chickens—everything.
Signature local traditions:
Pollença – Pujada al Pi : Volunteers haul a huge pine tree trunk from the Ternelles estate, soap it, raise it in Plaça Vella, and the bravest attempt the climb. It’s one of Mallorca’s great crowd scenes.
Artà – Ball dels Dimonis: The town turns into an open-air stage; neighbours in white shirts and red kerchiefs dance to drums and cowbells as devils whirl through the streets.
Manacor – Devil dances with xeremiers: Drums, bagpipes, and dimonis animate the historic center all day.
Capdepera & Cala Rajada – Devil pageantry: Multiple devils with distinctive masks headline back-to-back weekends.
How to “do” Sant Antoni like a local
Eat by the flames: Join residents around the fogueró to grill sobrassada and bread; many towns sell DIY barbecue packs.
Learn the sounds: Listen out for the traditional ximbombas, gloses & xeremiers.
Mind the fire-runs: Correfocs are thrilling but shower sparks—wear fire proof clothing, cover arms, tie back hair, and wear closed shoes. (Most town websites outline basic safety.)
The spirit of the feast
Sant Antoni is, at heart, an agricultural thanksgiving: a winter rite where communities bless the animals that once pulled ploughs and now sleep on sofas, and where the warmth of bonfires stands in for the returning light after the solstice. Sa Pobla’s immense devotion—and its habit of turning tradition into high theatre—explains why its celebration looms largest, even as every Mallorcan town claims a piece of the fire.
Dates and headline customs for 2026 reflect the fixed festival calendar (Jan 16–17) and long-standing local programs; municipalities typically publish detailed schedules closer to the feast.