Corpus Christi: Where to See Dancing Eggs and Floral Tapestries

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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

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Corpus Christi celebrations return to Barcelona from May 30th to June 2nd 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.

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: May 30, 10:00-20:00, May 31-Jun 1, 10:00-14:00 & 16:00-19:00, Jun 2, 11:00-14:00. Open doors: May 30, 10:00-20:00.

Arxiu Històric de la Ciutat L'ou com balla: May 30, 9:00-20:00, May 31, 9:00-19:30, Jun 1, 10:00-19:30. Open doors: May 30, 10:00-19:30.

Ateneu Barcelonès L'ou com balla & open doors: May 30, 11:00-20:00.

Barcelona Cathedral L'ou com balla: May 30-31, 10:00-19:00, Jun 1, 10:00-19:30, Jun 2. 9:00-14:00. Open doors & catifa floral: May 30, 10:00-19:00.

Basílica de la Puríssima Concepció L'ou com balla: May 30, 8:00-21:00. May 31-Jun 6, 8:00-13:00 & 17:00-21:00.

Basílica de Santa Maria del Pi Catifa floral: Jun 2, 10:00-20:00.

Biblioteca Francesc Boix Catifa floral: Jun 2, 10:00-18:00. At 18:00 by the gegants and diables of Poble-sec will dance upon the carpet.

Can Galta Cremat Catifa floral: May 21-29, 16:00-21:00. May 30, 10:00-13:00.

Carrer de la Llibertat L'ou com balla & catifa floral: Jun 2, 10:00-18:00. At 18:00 the gegants of Gràcia will dance upon the carpet.

Castellers de Barcelona L'ou com balla: May 31, 19:30-22:00.

Centre Cívic Can Deu L'ou com balla: May 30, 9:00-21:00.

Centre Cívic El Sortidor L'ou com balla: May 30-31, 8:30-22:00, Jun 1, 10:00-14:00 & 16:00-21:00.

Col·legi Escolàpies Llúria L'ou com balla: May 29-31, 10:00-18:00. 

Espai 30 Catifa floral: Jun 1, 9:30-12:30.

Espai Albert Musons L'ou com balla: May 30-Jun 2, 10:00-14:00 & 16:30-20:30.

El Centre de Gràcia L'ou com balla: May 30, 12:00-22:00, May 31, 17:00-22:00, Jun 1, 11:00-22:00. Jun 2, 12:00-14:00.

Jardins de Rubió i Lluch L'ou com balla & catifa floral: May 30-Jun 2, 8:00-20:00.

La Casa dels Entremesos Catifa floral & open doors: May 30, 10:00-20:00, May 31-Jun 1, 10:00-13:00 & 16:00-19:00. Jun 2, 11:00-14:00. On Jun 2 at 14:00 the Bou de Barcelona will dance upon the carpet.

Masia de Can Cadena L'ou com balla: May 30-Jun 2, 10:00-14:00.

Monestir de Pedralbes L'ou com balla: May 30, 10:00-17:00.

Museu Etnològic i de Cultures del Món (Montcada) Catifa floral: May 30-Jun 2, 10:00-19:00.

Museu Frederic Marès L'ou com balla: May 30-Jun 1, 10:00-19:00, Jun 2, 11:00-20:00.

Museu Marítim L'ou com balla: May 30-Jun 2, 10:00-20:00.

Oratori de Sant Felip Neri de Gràcia L'ou com balla: May 30-Jun 2, 11:00-13:00 & 17:00-20:00.

Palau Centelles Open doors: May 31, 10:00-20:00.

Palau de la Capitania General L'ou com balla: May 30-Jun 2, 10:00-14:00 & 16:00-20:00.

Parc de Sant Martí L'ou com balla & catifa floral: Jun 1, 10:00-18:00. At 18:00 the gegants of la Verneda will dance upon the carpet.

Parròquia del Sant Àngel Custodi L'ou com balla: May 30-Jun 2, 9:00-21:00. Catifa floral: Jun 2, 9:00-19:30. On Jun 2 at 19:30 the Esbart Ciutat Comtal will dance upon the floral carpet.

Parròquia de Santa Maria del Remei Catifa floral: Jun 2, 12:00-20:00.

Parròquia de Sant Joan Maria Vianney Catifa floral: Jun 2, 8:30-12:00.

Plaça de Carme Balcells Catifa floral: Jun 2, 10:00-18:00. At 18:00 the gegants of la Verneda will dance upon the carpet.

Plaça d’Orfila Catifa floral: Jun 1, 9:30-18:30. At 18:30 cultural groups from Sant Andreu will dance upon the carpet.

Plaça de la Virreina Catifa floral: Jun 2, 8:30-19:00. At 19:00 the l’Àliga, el Lleó and el Bou de Gràcia will dance upon the floral carpet.

Plaça de Sarrià Catifa floral: Jun 2, 10:00-14:00.

Rambla de Guipúscoa Catifa floral: Jun 1, 10:00-18:00. At 18:00 by the gegants of la Verneda will dance upon the floral carpet.

Santa Maria del Taulat L'ou com balla: May 30-31, 9:00-14:00 & 17:00-20:00, Jun1-2, 10:00-13:00 & 18:00-20:00. Catifa floral: May 30, 9:00-13:00. At 13:00 the imatgeria festiva del Poblenou will dance upon the carpet.

Seminari Conciliar de Barcelona L'ou com balla & catifa floral: May 29, 15:00-20:00, May 30-31, 9:00-20:00 & Jun 1, 9:00-13:30.

Taller Sant Camil L'ou com balla: May 30-31, 10:00-17:00.

Torre de la Sagrera L'ou com balla: May 30-31, 9:30-14:00 & 16:00-21:00, Jun 1, 10:00-14:00. Catifa floral: May 31, 17:00-21:00, Jun 1, 10:00-14:00. On Jun 1 at 14:00 by the drac, diables and gegants of la Sagrera will dance upon the floral carpet.

You can download the full program of activities from the city's website (in Catalan).