Día de las Islas Baleares (Day of the Balearic Islands), Palma

Día de las Islas Baleares takes place each year on the 1st of March. It is marked by a public holiday to commemorate the signing of the Statute of Autonomy on March 1st, 1983 which granted autonomous status to the islands.

Celebrated on all four of the Balearic Islands (Mallorca, Menorca, Ibiza, and Formentera), Palma hosts the majority of the celebrations with thousands of proud residents taking to the streets. The day kicks off at Es Baluard Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art with a huge Medieval market selling traditional food and drinks as well as handicrafts and products from all over the island. Throughout the day various workshops and demonstrations take place as well as some performances from the local schoolchildren.

The Consolat de Mar, which is now the seat of the Government of the Balearics, is not generally open to the public, but on the weekend of this special holiday guided tours are offered for free from 3pm.

In Parc de Sa Feixina in Santa Catalina you will find plenty of traditional food being cooked live in the park as well as plenty of food stalls. A great chance to sample fantastic Mallorcan cuisine, listen to some traditional folk music, and drink some hierbas with the locals. You may even spot some giants in traditional dress or some devils running around with fireworks.

The rest of the island offers plenty of celebrations too – the “gigantes y cabezudos” are the giants with large heads that parade through the streets in local costumes and perform the “Ball de Bot” which is is a traditional Mallorcan folk dance. There are also artisan fairs, food stalls and concerts in most towns.