1 of 2
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).
2 of 2
Floral tapestry in Plaça de la Virreina, Barcelona (2022) photo by Tara Shain
Corpus Christi celebrations return to Barcelona from June 19th to the 22nd 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 fountain displays have been turned off for some time now due to the drought, which for the last two years challenged the dancing egg tradition—it was modified to a design based on air propulsion rather than water. However, with the spring's heavy rainfall the drought decree has been lifted, and this year’s Corpus Christi celebrations see the full return of the water displays in the city's cloisters, parks and gardens.
Here’s a comprehensive list of where and when you can 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 19, 10:00-20:00, June 20-21, 10:00-14:00 & 16:00-19:00, June 22, 11:00-14:00. Open doors: June 19, 10:00-20:00.
Arxiu de la Corona d’Aragó Catifa floral: June 19-22, 10:00-19:00.
Arxiu Històric de la Ciutat L'ou com balla: June 19, 10:00-20:00, June 20-22, 10:00-19:30. Open doors: June 19, 10:00-20:00.
Ateneu Barcelonès L'ou com balla & open doors: June 19, 11:00-20:00.
Barcelona Cathedral L'ou com balla, open doors & catifa floral: June 19, 9:30-19:00, June 20, 10:00-19:00, June 21, 10:00-19:30, June 22, 10:00-13:15.
Basílica de la Puríssima Concepció L'ou com balla: June 19-22, 8:00-13:00 & 17:00-21:00.
Basílica de Santa Maria del Pi Catifa floral: June 22, 10:00-20:00.
Can Galta Cremat Catifa floral: June 7-18, Tuesday-Saturday, 16:00-22:00.
Carrer de la Llibertat L'ou com balla & catifa floral: June 22, 10:00-18:00. At 18:00 the gegants of Gràcia will dance upon the carpet.
La Casa dels Entremesos Catifa floral: June 19, 10:00-20:00, June 20-21, 10:00-13:00 & 16:00-19:00, June 22, 11:00-14:00. On June 22 at 17:30 the Gegants de Sant Jaume will dance upon the carpet. Open doors: June 19, 10:00-20:00.
Castellers de Barcelona L'ou com balla: June 21, from 11:00 on.
Centre Artesà Tradicionarius Catifa floral: June 22, 9:00-18:30.
Centre Cívic Can Deu L'ou com balla: June 19, 9:00-21:00.
Centre Cívic Sant Martí Catifa floral: June 21, 10:00-19:00. At 19:00 the gegants of Gràcia will dance upon the carpet.
Centre Cívic El Sortidor L'ou com balla & catifa floral: June 19-20, 8:30-22:00, June 21, 10:00-14:00 & 16:00-21:00, June 22, 10:00-14:00.
El Centre de Gràcia L'ou com balla: June 19-22, 10:00-13:30 & 16:30-21:00.
Col·legi Escolàpies Llúria L'ou com balla: June 18-20, 9:30-18:00.
Espai Albert Musons L'ou com balla: June 19-22, 10:00-14:00 & 16:30-20:30.
Jardins de Rubió i Lluch L'ou com balla & catifa floral: June 19-22, 8:00-21:00.
Monestir de Pedralbes L'ou com balla: June 19-20, 10:00-17:00, June 21, 10:00-19:00, June 22, 10:00-20:00. Open Doors: June 19 & 22.
Museu Etnològic i de Cultures del Món (Montcada) Catifa floral: June 19-22, 10:00-19:00.
Museu Frederic Marès L'ou com balla: June 19-21, 10:00-19:00, June 22, 11:00-20:00. Open doors: June 19.
Museu Marítim L'ou com balla: June 19-22, 10:00-20:00.
Oratori de Sant Felip Neri de Gràcia L'ou com balla: June 19-22, 11:00-13:00 & 17:00-20:00.
Palau de la Capitania General L'ou com balla: June 19-20, 16:00-20:00, June 21-22, 10:00-14:00 & 16:00-20:00.
Parc de Sant Martí L'ou com balla & catifa floral: June 21, 10:00-19:00. At 19:00 the gegants of la Verneda will dance upon the carpet.
Plaça d’Orfila Catifa floral: June 14, 9:30-19:00. At 19:00 cultural groups from Sant Andreu will dance upon the carpet.
Plaça de la Virreina Catifa floral: June 22, 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: June 22, 10:00-14:00.
Rambla de Guipúscoa Catifa floral: June 21, 10:00-19:00. At 19:00 the gegants of la Verneda will dance upon the floral carpet.
Residència Sacerdotal Sant Josep Oriol Catifa floral: June 22, 8:00-22:00.
Santa Maria del Taulat Catifa floral: June 19-22, 10:00-13:00. On June 22 at 13:00 the gegants de Poblenou will dance upon the carpet.
Seminari Conciliar de Barcelona L'ou com balla & catifa floral: June 18, 15:00-20:00, June 19-20, 9:00-20:00.
Taller Sant Camil L'ou com balla: June 19-22, 10:00-17:00.
Torre de la Sagrera L'ou com balla & catifa floral: June 11-13, 9:30-14:00 & 16:00-21:00. On June 13 at 16:00 the drac, diables and gegants of la Sagrera will dance upon the floral carpet.
Palau Centelles Open doors: June 20, 8:00-20:00.
Parròquia de Santa Madrona Catifa floral: June 15-22, Monday-Friday 19:00-20:30, Sundays 11:30-13:00.
Parròquia del Sant Àngel Custodi L'ou com balla: June 19-22, 9:00-21:00. Catifa floral: June 22, 9:00-19:45. At 19:45 the Esbart Ciutat Comtal will dance upon the floral carpet.
Parròquia de Sant Ambrós Catifa floral: June 22.
Parròquia de Sant Joan Maria Vianney Catifa floral: June 22, 8:30-13:15.
You can download the full program of activities from the city's website (in Catalan).