The Philoxera Festival

Every 7 and 8 September, Sant Sadurní d'Anoia is transformed into a large stage that recalls the victory of the peasants against phylloxera, the plague that devastated European vineyards in the 19th century. The Festa de la Fil·loxera combines spectacle, fire, music and, above all, the vindication of the culture of wine and cava. Parses with giant figures represent the insect and the vine, and they roam the streets to the rhythm of crickets and timpani while the audience participates lighting flares and dancing.

The celebration begins with the 'ringing of bells' and the launch of rockets that summon the population. Then, the “Simulacre” of the plague takes place: dozens of phylloxeretes (smaller figures carried by children) invade the square, lighting networks of cold fire that illuminate the night. The final outbreak comes with the burning of the large phylloxera, symbolizing the overcoming of the crisis and the revival of the cultivation of the vine.

The party includes cava tastings, a gastronomic exhibition of local products and family workshops that explain, in an informative way, how peasant resistance and replanting with American feet saved the economy of the area. Declared a Traditional Festival of National Interest, it is an immersive experience that connects history, pyrotechnics and gastronomic tradition, and that makes both the Sadurninans and the visitors who fill the local hotel every year vibrate.

Open to visitors: Yes