Over eighty stalls selling roses, books, and representing various organisations filled the historic and commercial centre of Tortosa, Terres de l'Ebre, for Sant Jordi. The annual celebration, marked by overcast skies and some rain, still drew significant crowds to the city.
Despite the grey weather, the large turnout underscored Sant Jordi's status as one of the most participatory days in the Ebre capital, attracting visitors from across the region, according to the Catalan News Agency (ACN). Núria and Marta, who were browsing children's books at La Irreal bookshop, laden with roses, described it as "the most festive day of the year, people come out into the streets, they are much happier, the cafés are much fuller."
Júlia Albesa, the owner of La Irreal bookshop, confirmed that despite the dull day, the event was "very busy" with strong morning sales. "I suppose many people went out to find gifts for loved ones at lunchtime," she said, also highlighting the high attendance from schools. Albesa added, "It's wonderful to see how excited children get about paper, an object that has been sentenced to death many times and continues to be more alive than ever."
Local Authors Among Bestsellers
In Ebre bookshops, popular titles included those by media personalities, new releases recommended on social media, particularly among young people, and notably, new works by local Ebre authors. These included Josep Pitarch with 'Arriembanda', Bernat Navarro with 'Veschi', and David Tormo's photographic collection on the Battle of the Ebre. Albesa remarked that it would be "catastrophically brilliant if everyone asked for backlist books," but acknowledged that new releases are typically the most requested on Sant Jordi.
Xabier Coluig, an Ebre writer based in the United States, was among the authors signing books in Tortosa. He expressed his excitement about "this reunion," having not experienced Sant Jordi in Tortosa for many years. Coluig was presenting 'Tapissos' (Tapestries), a collection of short stories that are also set to become short films in the US. "The books I have written until now spoke of the Ebre, more specifically of Tortosa, in an obvious way," Coluig explained. "Now, starting with this book, I do it in a slightly more veiled way. I speak of rivers, of medium-sized cities, but I haven't done it in such a specific way. I play a bit more with the reader from this moment on."
Promoting Literary Heritage
A new initiative for Sant Jordi in Tortosa this year was a literary route featuring texts by Manuel Pérez Bonfill, displayed in the windows of 35 establishments in the commercial centre. Jordi Pérez, son of the professor and writer, praised the initiative for making literature accessible to younger generations. City schools brought students to explore the route and the pedagogue's work.
Pérez emphasised the importance of generational renewal. "It is extremely important for there to be a generational handover and that when there is an event of this type, you don't only see white hair," he stated. "These boys and girls walking around here should read, should write, should be less on TikTok and less on social media, as all that only makes things worse."
A Special Catalan Celebration
Mayor Mar Lleixà described Sant Jordi as a "very special" day, which also served to commemorate Gerard Vergés, as it is the 'Year of Pérez Bonfill', and an homage to Zoraida Burgos was planned for the following day. The mayor expressed her intention to continue the literary route with new authors in the coming years. Lleixà also highlighted that Tortosa would experience "the most Catalan Sant Jordi ever," with a demonstration for the Catalan language and the arrival of the Brotherhood Correllengua. She concluded, "It will be a complete celebration."
