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The dancing egg in l'Oratori de Sant Felip Neri de Gràcia. Photo by Eduard Pedrocchi courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
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Floral tapestry in Plaça de la Virreina, Barcelona (2022) photo by Tara Shain
Corpus Christi celebrations return to Barcelona from June 1 to June 11 this year filling the city's squares and courtyards with elaborate catifes florals (floral tapestries) and the curious tradition of l'ou com balla (dancing egg). If you've never seen them, it's well worth investigating where you can spot them this June.
First held in 1320, Corpus Christi is one of Barcelona's oldest festivals, and each year the days leading up to Corpus Christi are replete with cultural activities. In addition to the floral tapestries and dancing eggs, you'll find exhibitions, open houses, talks, traditional folk dances, religious processions and dancing gegants and bèstias festivus (festival beasts).
You may have noticed that the city's fountains have been turned off for some time now due to the drought, so while the dancing egg tradition will continue this year, some modifications have been made. For those fountains that have a closed water circuit, the egg will continue to bob and spin as in previous years, and for those that don't, the dancing egg will be incorporated into a design that is based on air rather than water.
Here’s a comprehensive list of where and when you see both the dancing egg and the floral tapestries decorating Barcelona's plazas this year.
Where to See l’Ou Com Balla and Catifes Florals
Ajuntament de Barcelona Catifa floral: June 7-11, 11:00-14:00 & 16:00-19:00.
Arxiu de la Corona d’Aragó L'ou com balla: June 8-11,10:00-19:00.
Arxiu Històric de la Ciutat L'ou com balla: June 8, 10:00-20:00, June 9-10, 10:00-19:30. Open house June 8, 10:00-20:00.
Ateneu Barcelonès L'ou com balla & open house: June 8, 11:00-20:00.
Barcelona Cathedral Catifa floral & l'ou com balla: June 7, 17:00-19:00. June 8-9, 10:00-19:00. June 11, 9:00-12:45. Open doors on June 8, 9:30-17:30. Ringing of the bells (repic de campanes) June 11 throughout the procession. Corpus Christi proclamation and blessing of the dancing egg at 18:30.
Basílica de la Puríssima Concepció L'ou com balla: June 8, 8:00-21:00. June 9-15, 8:00-13:00 & 17:00-21:00.
Basílica de Santa Maria del Pi Catifa floral: June 11, 9:00-20:00.
Biblioteca Francesc Boix Catifa floral: June 11, 9:00-18:00. At 18:00 the gegants of Poble-sec, the Gat Sirius and the Esbart Dansaire Renaixença will dance on the floral tapestry.
Can Galta Cremat Catifa floral: June 8-29, 16:30-21:00.
Carrer de la Llibertat Catifa floral & l'ou com balla: June 11, 9:00-18:00; At 18:00 the Gegants de Gràcia will dance on the floral tapestry.
Centre Cívic Can Deu L’ou com balla: June 8, 9:00-21:00.
Col·legi Escolàpies Llúria L’ou com balla: June 6-9, 9:30-18:00.
Espai 30 Catifa floral: June 10, 9:30-12:30. At 12:30 the drac, diables and Gegants de la Sagrera will dance on the floral tapestry.
Espai Albert Musons L’ou com balla: June 8-9, 16:30-20:30. June 10-11, 10:00-14:00 & 16:30- 20:30.
Jardins de Rubió i Lluch Catifa floral: June 8-11, 8:00-20:00.
La Casa dels Entremesos Catifa floral & open house: June 8, 10:00-20:00. June 9-10, 10:00-13:00 & 16:00-19:00. June 11, 11:00-14:00.
Monestir de Pedralbes Catifa floral & l’ou com balla: June 8-9, 10:00-17:00. June 10, 10:00-19:00. June 11, 10:00-20:00. Open doors: June 8, 10:00-17:00. June 11,15:00-20:00.
Museu Etnològic i de Cultures del Món (Montcada) Catifa floral: June 8-11, 10:00-19:00.
Museu Frederic Marès L'ou com balla in the courtyard: June 8-10, 10:00-19:00. June 11, 11:00-20:00. Open house at the museum on June 8, 10:00-19:00.
Museu Marítim L'ou com balla in the Maritime Museum garden June 8-11, 10:00-20:00.
Oratori de Sant Felip Neri de Gràcia L’ou com balla in the cloister: June 8-11, 11:00-13:00 & 17:00-20:00.
Palau de la Capitania General L'ou com balla: June 8-9, 16:00-20:00. June 10-11, 10:00-14:00 & 16:00-20:00.
Parc de Sant Martí Catifa històrica floral & l’ou com balla: June 10, 10:00-19:00. At 18:00 Trabucaires de Sant Matí will dance on the carpet.
Parròquia de Sant Francesc de Paula Catifa floral: June 11, 9:30-14:00.
Parròquia de Santa Maria del Remei Catifa floral: June 11, 8:00-18:00. At 18:00 is the Corpus Christi procession over the floral tapestry.
Plaça d’Orfila Catifa floral: June 10, 9:30-18:30. At 18:30, the Geganters i Grallers de Sant Andreu and the Colla de Ball de Bastons will dance on the floral tapestry.
Plaça de la Virreina Catifa floral & l’ou com balla: June 11, 8:30-19:00. At 8:30, the carpet will begin with the accompaniment of music throughout the morning. At 10:00 the dancing egg begins. At 19:00 the l’Àliga i el Lleó de Gràcia will dance upon the floral carpet.
Plaça de Sant Bernat Calbó Catifa floral: June 8, 9:00-21:00.
Plaça de Sarrià Catifa floral: June 11, 10:00-17:00.
Rambla de Guipúscoa Catifa floral & l’ou com balla: June 10, 10:00-18:00.
Santa Maria de Jesús de Gràcia Catifa floral: June 11, 9:00-13:30. At 13:30 is the Corpus Christi procession over the floral tapestry.
Santa Maria del Taulat L’ou com balla: June 8-9, 9:00-14:00 & 17:00-20:00. June 10-11, 10:00-13:00 & 18:00-20:00. Catifa floral: June 11, 9:00 -13:00. At 13:00 the Giants and Dragons of Poblenou will dance on the floral tapestry.
Seminari Conciliar de Barcelona Catifa floral & l’ou com balla: June 7, 15:00-20:00. June 8-9, 9:00-20:00. June 10, 9:00-13:30.
Taller Sant Camil L’ou com balla: June 8-9, 10:00-17:00.
Torre de la Sagrera L’ou com balla: June 8-10, 9:30-21:00. Catifa flora: June 9, 16:00-21:00, June 10, 9:30-12:00. At 12:00 a procession of devils, dragons and giants will dance on the floral tapestries.
You can download the full program of activities from the city's website (in Catalan).