Demons light up the witching night of San Antonio in Sa Pobla

PalmSa Pobla once again came alive this Friday as the traditional epicenter of one of Mallorca's most deeply rooted and unique celebrations, the Sant Antoni festival. From early evening, the town's streets filled with fire, music, devils, local residents, and local authorities, all ready to experience a night that, year after year, reaffirms the collective identity of a town that has kept this tradition alive for over six centuries.

The festival, as usual, brought together thousands of people from the town and other parts of the island, but this year, as highlighted by ARA Baleares, it also began to reflect the diversity of Sa Pobla: residents from diverse communities joined the celebration, actively participating in the events and experiencing them with enthusiasm. This increasingly inclusive character shows how the Sant Antoni festival has become a meeting point that transcends cultural boundaries and consolidates the festival as a space for inclusion and coexistence.

Bonfires scattered throughout the town, tambourines, giant papier-mâché figures, and a festive atmosphere have transformed Sa Pobla into a true celebration, one of the most anticipated days of the year for the locals. The sounds of traditional verses and folk music have also been present in every corner, and the traditional gathering at the Ca na Negreta bonfire, which in recent years has drawn hundreds of young and old alike eager to sing verses and engage in traditional dances, has been a must.

One of the central moments of the festival, as always, took place in the Plaza Mayor, with the procession to Completes. Once inside the church, this year's speaker, Pep Cirer, called out the essential "Visca Sant Antoni!", which officially marked the start of the witching night.

Upon returning to the square, the demons took center stage with their ritualized dances, accompanied by the giant figures and their young counterparts, figures inseparable from the festive spirit of Pobla. The jumping, the cracking of whips, and the constant play with fire captivated young and old alike, in a performance that encapsulates the symbolic battle between good and evil and remains one of the most recognizable elements of the Sant Antoni festivities.

Sa Pobla has once again enjoyed a Sant Antoni full of emotion, consolidating for another year a vibrant festival that combines memory and respect for the genuine celebration with festivity and fun, while establishing itself as an increasingly inclusive space where everyone, wherever they come from, can feel part of the tradition.