Cycling Day for the Sant Sebastià Fiestas in Palma, Mallorca

The Saturday of the fiestas was the family Cycling Day. | Pere Bergas

Andrew EdePalma25/01/2024 15:45
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At Thursday's council meeting, the Palma deputy mayor for culture, Javier Bonet, conceded that the town hall had made a mistake in not declaring this year's day of Sant Sebastià a holiday.

"Having read the press over the past few days, I think that the town hall certainly made a mistake."

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This year's Sant Sebastià was a Saturday (January 20). There were many complaints that it was treated as a working day and not a holiday. One of the retailers associations called on its members to close in protest. In the end, it was estimated that around one hundred businesses didn't open.

Bonet stressed that there had been "no bad intention". The decision not to make Saint Sebastian a holiday this year was assessed and all political parties were in agreement. However, in light of reaction, he added that the patron's day should always be a holiday, whether it's Saturday, Sunday or Monday. "We were wrong. We are all clear about that. It affects many more people than just small businesses."

It will be up to a council meeting to agree the holiday for 2025 (plus the other day a year that the town hall can choose). This now looks like a foregone conclusion.