Hundreds fill Mallorca town as giant figures take over historic streets in colourful festival

Alcúdia’s streets were transformed into a colourful parade of towering figures at the weekend as the town celebrated its annual Festival of Giants, bringing together 17 groups and around 300 participants for a major celebration of Mallorca’s traditional culture.

The XVIII Trobada de Gegants d’Alcúdia took place on Saturday, September 26, with this year’s event carrying extra significance as the Colla de Geganters d’Alcúdia celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Giants take over Alcúdia

The celebrations began with the traditional plantada, when the giant figures gathered in Plaça de Carles V before setting off through the historic town.

The figures then took to the streets at 6pm for a colourful cercavila, accompanied by the music and atmosphere that have become synonymous with Mallorca’s giant festivals.

Seventeen colles, or giant groups, took part in the event, attracting around 300 geganters and giving residents and visitors the chance to see an impressive collection of traditional figures moving through Alcúdia.

Among the visiting groups was Colla Gegantera La Patufa, which travelled from Llinars del Vallès in Catalonia to join the celebrations. Its participation had been announced ahead of the event as one of the highlights of this year’s gathering.

The gathering is one of the town’s established cultural events and has now reached its 18th edition.

A special anniversary for Alcúdia

This year’s celebrations were particularly important for the local giant group, which is marking two decades since it was founded.

During its early years, the Colla de Geganters d’Alcúdia took part in different parades and appearances around the municipality before going on to establish its own gathering.

That event has grown over the years into a regular fixture in Alcúdia’s cultural calendar, with this year’s edition marking its 18th Trobada de Gegants.

The anniversary was also an opportunity to recognise the work carried out by the group over the past 20 years.

Alcúdia’s councillor for Culture, Àngela Amer, welcomed the participating groups and thanked the local colla for its contribution to the town’s cultural life.

New giant joins the family

One of the most significant moments of the weekend was the presentation of Margalida Barraixeta, a new gigantona joining Alcúdia’s collection of giant figures.

Her arrival coincides with the group’s 20th anniversary, giving the celebration an additional milestone as the local tradition enters its third decade.

The new figure adds another character to the town’s growing giant family and will become part of future appearances and traditional celebrations.

The weekend’s event also highlighted how the tradition continues to bring together different generations, with the giant figures, musicians and performers filling the streets with colour and movement.

Keeping a popular tradition alive

Giant figures have long formed part of popular festivities across Mallorca and other parts of the Balearics and Catalan-speaking territories, where colles geganteres regularly travel between towns for gatherings and parades.

For Alcúdia, Saturday’s event was about more than a colourful spectacle. It marked two decades of work by the local group while bringing together visiting performers and residents in one of the town’s most distinctive cultural celebrations.

With 17 groups taking part, around 300 people involved and a new giant joining the local family, the 2026 gathering provided a fitting way to celebrate 20 years of Alcúdia’s geganter tradition.