The brotherhoods are keeping the San Sebastián celebrations going despite the official suspension: "Cort has given the festival to the people"

PalmNeither the cancellation of the official program nor the rain deters the brotherhoods, who make their way to Plaza de la Reina accompanied by brass bands to meet up with the other groups from Palma. In fact, a member of the Queerferia brotherhood believes that with the cancellation of the concerts, "Cort has given the festival back to the people." It's cold and rainy, but the spirits of the citizens are unwavering. The shops around Carrer Oms and the Passeig del Born area are selling umbrellas and raincoats to everyone, and tourists, from inside the luxurious hotels in the narrow streets of the city center, wave to the participants with laughter.

Once they arrived at Plaza de la Reina, a member of the brotherhood went up on stage and expressed her support for the victims of the Córdoba accident. "Cort has suspended the events, the Church will not ring the bells, and we will observe a very solemn minute of silence," she said. After the minute of silence ends, the ritual begins where the arm of Saint Sebastian defeats the plague.

The Porreres Philharmonic has stirred up the spirits of the Plaza de la Reina with the performance of songs such as Long live life from Coldplay and Pasodoble of love of Ossifar. The band has celebrated its 170th anniversary this year.

Meanwhile, alternative events haven't been canceled either. In Plaça Nova de la Ferreria, the organizers have set up a tent and hung a tarp from the trees, which they keep emptying of water. People are not giving up and are participating.

Other proposals, like the party at Flexas bar, have been a success with a large turnout of people singing and dancing in the rain. The cancellation of official events has boosted other proposals and initiatives promoting local artists, such as the self-managed promoter called Ndiablaos. The organizers have set up small tents outside S'Obrador, a bakery located in Sant Antoni Square, where the bauxa fire is still burning. Others have sought out shelter from the rain to build bonfires.

The place doesn't matter, nor does the weather. The citizens of Palma do celebrate San Sebastián, no matter what.

It must be remembered that Cort has suspended all programming for San Sebastián Despite the Córdoba train accident, the festivities continue. Three members of prominent Palma brotherhoods have confirmed to ARA Baleares that the Palma City Council has not instructed them to cancel anything and that the celebrations will proceed. This perfectly illustrates the two opposing sides that have emerged around the San Sebastián festivities: the institutional side and the popular side. The City Council has opted to cancel the evening concerts, while the residents of Palma are continuing with the unofficial program and celebrating a popular festival with rituals and traditions that operate outside the control of institutions, aiming to foster community spirit. Other alternative proposals not included in the official program, such as those organized by the Housing Union, are also proceeding with their planned events.

San Sebastián has started where it all began: Can Vinagre

The San Sebastián festival has kicked off where it all began: Can Vinagre. Walking down Carrer dels Oms, you can see strings of colorful pennants and green scarves belonging to Palma's oldest brotherhood: the Brotherhood of San Sebastián. This group firmly believes that "San Sebastián is all day long," as they've been stating on their Instagram profile since 2013. That year, 130 people gathered at the Sa Premsa winery to celebrate the festival, which this Monday brought together many brotherhoods—the Brotherhood of Sant Quadart, the Brotherhood of Abundance, the Brotherhood of Pink Sant—and hundreds of people in front of Can Vinagre. They do so with the intention of demonstrating that "you can celebrate beyond institutions and official programs," explains Mateu, a member of Orgull Llonguet.

"Good morning, Can Vinagre!" were the opening lines of the proclamation that sent the crowd into a frenzy. Each person wore a neckerchief bearing the name and color of their brotherhood. The town crier sent a message to the City Council: "This is our festival," and also criticized the festival of the Patron Saint. She reminded everyone that "the real festival will always be San Sebastián." To kick off the festivities, she asked Mateu, the owner of Can Vinagre, for permission, which he gladly granted. "Long live San Sebastián!" the town crier exclaimed. "Long live!" the attendees responded.

The banners of the brotherhoods began to wave to the sound of the music. The characteristic elements of the festival were also present: people dressed as the Plague, a tradition revived thanks to the brotherhoods' efforts, and the relic of Saint Sebastian's arm—referring to the relic kept in the Cathedral of Mallorca—among others. Then, a rocket exploded, its sound echoing throughout the street, marking the start of the festivities. Meanwhile, members of the Brotherhood of Saint Sebastian distributed cups of "holy water" (aniseed). The brotherhoods have already obtained all the necessary permits to begin the celebrations.

Meanwhile, on Blanquerna Street, another gathering took place, where approximately 25 brotherhoods were found. This alternative initiative in Can Vinagre arose when residents admitted they couldn't all fit on Oms Street, so "the Brotherhood of San Sebastián asked everyone to celebrate in their own neighborhoods so that all of Palma could participate," explains Jonás, coordinator of the San Love Brotherhood. This reflects the growing popularity of the festival and the increasing number of residents who want to actively participate, either by forming a new brotherhood or joining an existing one. Before the opening address began, a minute of silence was observed for the victims of the Córdoba train accident. Afterward, applause echoed through Blanquerna. The address then commenced, and all the brotherhoods erupted in cheers upon seeing their speaker. In this way, the festival that began in 2013 on Oms Street is spreading and filling other streets of Palma with joy and emotion. Almost 120 brotherhoods are already registered, according to Jonás's estimate, although he points out that "there are many people who also celebrate everything, but not under the name of any brotherhood." Some of the attendees have taken time off work to celebrate Saint Sebastian's Day, while others are grateful that their company did so because, otherwise, they would have taken the day off, they say. "We are a teacher, and the school where I work chose to give us that day off. Otherwise, I would have asked for a day without pay," asserts Mireia, a member of the Madones a la Fresca brotherhood, which originated from Sa Corrala, a self-managed choir in Mallorca.

After the opening speech, the members of the brotherhoods went to have lunch, each with their group, at the restaurant where they had made reservations. Months before Saint Sebastian's Day, the brotherhood organizers make agreements with various bars and restaurants in the City a set menu. The different groups communicate via WhatsApp and finalize how many people will attend and what the scheduled events are, among other things.