No parades, no cheering crowds, no plazas full of people celebrating, no foguerons and no live music!
The 2021 Sant Sebastià Festival is a far cry from the raucous street parties we’ve come to know and love in Palma, but with the shadow of coronavirus haunting Mallorca it was inevitable that the celebrations would be cancelled.
Plaça Mayor and Plaça de Cort are usually heaving with people on the eve of Sant Sebastià but on Tuesday they were completely deserted and the Drac de na Coca stayed inside City Hall.
Even the weather seemed to know that this Sant Sebastià was different, it usually rains on the day of the revetla, but not this year!
Palma Police were on duty throughout Tuesday night, patrolling Palma neighbourhoods to make sure crowds don’t gather in the streets and everyone is abiding by the 2200 curfew. More Officers are answering complaints received on the 092 line.
The bells of Palma Cathedral rang out on Tuesday afternoon in honour of Sant Sebastià, who’s the Patron Saint of Palma and Wednesday’s mass got the go ahead, but with the necessary security measures in place and capacity reduced to 30%.
In a bid to keep the party alive, several groups are organising online events on Wednesday.
Orgull Llonguet is proposing that photographs from previous years be shared on social networks and DJ Manex set will be streaming live from 21:00.
The Obreria de Sant Sebastià is proposing that locals wear yellow or green, the colours of the Palma brotherhoods.
Several people have already uploaded Sant Sebastià messages to social media websites:
"People filling all the streets of the city with joy and excitement, the brotherhoods, the culture, the dragon, the handkerchiefs, the bonfires ... even the rain. We miss all of San Sebastian, but we will be back. Cheers to many more years Palma!" said Francina Armengol, President of the Balearic Government.
“This year we can't celebrate the festivities of our patron #SantSebastià, but we are excited to be able to meet again in the streets of Palma with twice the joy next year. With the commitment of everyone we will be able to get out of this crisis,” tweeted the Ajuntament de Palma.
“Llonguetades confinades” tweeted @tenovart who celebrated the fiesta at home.
“This year we are staying at home!!! Long live Sant Sebastià,” tweeted @marga_gaya.
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