Sitges is celebrating Our Lady of Mount Carmel, the patron saint of seafarers, on Thursday 16 and Sunday 19 July. Yet another year, the celebration’s main event will be the traditional sailors’ procession which leaves from Port de Sitges – Aiguadolç on Thursday at 7 pm. The Brotherhood of Fishers of Sitges, Port de Sitges and the Malvasia Interpretation Centre of Sitges (CIM) are in charge of organising this year's event.

The feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel will begin on Thursday at 11 am with an official mass in honour of the saint in the Sant Bartomeu i Santa Tecla parish church. During the day, the image of Our Lady of Mount Carmel will be displayed at the Brotherhood of Fishers of Sitges, located on Moll de Ponent in Port de Sitges, until 6 pm, when it is transferred to a fishing boat.

One of the most special moments in the celebration will come at 7 pm: the sailors’ procession from the Port de Sitges, with the blessing of the boats and the floral offering to Our Lady of Mount Carmel. During the celebration, 12 salvoes will be discharged from the sea at three points: near Sant Sebastià beach, the parish church and El Vinyet. People with acoustic sensitivity and owners of pets should take any necessary precautions while these salvoes are discharged.

Upon returning to the port, the event will continue in front of the Torre de Capitania with a tasting of seafood fideuà and a young wine, 100% Malvasia de Sitges Blanc Subur. The prices are 5 euros for the fideuà tasting and 3 euros per glass of the Blanc Subur. There will also be a concert by the Catalan rumba band Alma de Boquerón and a flambéed rum tasting made and served by Rom Pujol.

The feast day of Our Lady of Mount Carmel will bring to a close to this year’s edition of ‘Pathways of Malvasia and Sea in Aiguadolç: Travelling Pairing’ on Sunday 19 July from 7.30 to 9 pm. The activity consists of a route from Aiguadolç Beach to the Brotherhood of Fishers, with a pairing of three wines and two varieties of local escabetx marinade crafted with local herbs from El Garraf. The event will be one of the last opportunities to sample the last remaining bottles of the wine aged underwater.