Fiestas de Sant Antoni 2026 - Fornells

The Qualcada

What is it?

The Qualcada is the grand procession that makes its way through the village before the Jaleo.

It brings together the main representatives of the festival, each with a very specific role.

Nothing is left to chance: every route, greeting and stop follows an order established over generations.

Who takes part?

The fabioler, who announces the start of every event with the “fabiol” (flute) and drum.

The caixer sobreposat, who is responsible for carrying the Sant Antoni flag.

The caixers, who take part on horseback.

Also taking part are the caixer pagès, sa capellana and the caixer batle, representing the countryside, the Church and the Town Council.

How Saturday begins

Everything begins when the fabioler, riding “sa somereta” (a donkey), arrives at the Town Hall to request permission to officially begin the festivities.

He then collects the caixer sobreposat, who receives the Sant Antoni flag at the Town Council’s community hall.

From that moment, the “replec” begins throughout the village.

Es Replec

What is it?

It is one of the most beautiful and traditional moments of the festivities.

The Qualcada makes its way through Fornells to collect all the participants, who wait at their homes or at agreed meeting points.

Whenever a new member joins, the fabioler plays a melody as a sign of welcome.

The Completas

During this ceremony, several highly symbolic gestures take place.

The caixer sobreposat salutes the altar with the Sant Antoni flag, the capellà presides over the celebration and “candeletes” (candles) are handed out to the members of the Qualcada.

When the ceremony ends, everyone mounts their horses again and heads towards the square.

The Jaleo begins

Before the music starts, the flag is placed once again in the presiding area of the square, beside the fabioler.

All the caixers pass through the square, making their horses rear up.

When the caixer batle and sa capellana enter the square, the famous pasodoble “El Gato Montés” begins to play, marking the start of the Jaleo.

How does it unfold?

The caixers enter the square in pairs.

Each pair makes their horses rear up to the rhythm of the music and, when it ends, gives way to the next pair.

This sequence is repeated three times, until all the participants have passed through the square.

At the end, the flag returns to the caixer sobreposat, the fabioler rejoins the procession and the Qualcada leaves the square in formation after making several passes through it.

After the Jaleo

After the Jaleo, the official farewells continue.

The caixers make their final visits in accordance with the protocol and accompany the leading figures of the festival back to their homes.

Finally, the flag and staff are put away until the following day, bringing a day steeped in tradition to a close.

Now you will see Sant Antoni differently

The Jaleo lasts only a few moments, but behind every caixer, every horse, every gesture and every sound lie centuries of tradition, respect and shared emotion.

For those of us from Fornells, Sant Antoni is much more than a festival.

It is tradition, feeling and an essential part of who we are.

At Som Menorca, we care for what makes the island unique

At Som Menorca, we do more than help people find a home on the island or manage holiday rental stays. We also feel a responsibility to help Menorca preserve what makes it unique: its culture, customs and traditions.

That is why we share the protocol of the Sant Antoni festivities in Fornells: so that visitors can understand them, experience them more deeply and always take part with respect. Learning about our traditions is also a way of helping us protect them and keep them alive for future generations.

We encourage you to discover the complete protocol and experience Sant Antoni beyond the Jaleo. Because enjoying Menorca also means getting to know it, respecting it and caring for it.