The Diada de Santa Tecla (Saint Tecla’s Day) is a date marked in red on the Sitges calendar. It is the day of our patron saint, we are in the middle of the Festa Major (main festival), and we start the day with emotions running high: the little ones take centre stage from the early hours, parading in ‘colles’ (groups) with Sitges’ very own bestiary (giants, fire beasts — the dragon and the eagle — and ‘capgrossos’ or big-heads) to the rhythm of the choreographies of popular dances such as ‘Gitanes’, ‘Cintes’ and ‘Bastons’.
The Matinal de Santa Tecla follows three routes: the ‘Matinal de Foc’ (Fire Morning Parade), the ‘Matinal Gran’ (Large Morning Parade) and the ‘Matinal Petita’ (Small Morning Parade), which set off half an hour apart from Carrer Davallada, Carrer de Fonollar and the Plaça de l’Ajuntament (Town Hall square), respectively. The three converge in front of La Fragata beach, when the final dances are performed and a popular lunch is shared.
