Olvan for Saint Sebastià the town organizes a great party. On January 20 of each year, the village square fill with culture and tradition. The celebration is prepared with great enthusiasm. The patron saint of the parish is honoured and rice given to everyone.

Olvan is one of the popular festivals of the Berguedà region. It is a party organized by the neighbors of the town. It is for Saint Sebastià and it called party rice. According to the legend, it was this saint who released the population of the black plague and, in gratitude, its inhabitants decided to offer each year the main course of their meal to the needs people that were in the village of Olvan on January 20.

Although Saint Sebastià had no beard. The party coincides with the bearded week. Popular wisdom tells us that bearded week is the coldest week of the year. The name comes from the long, abundant and thick beards that the saints of this week have: Saint Hilari, on the 13th, Saint Pau Hermit and Saint Maur, on the 15th, and Saint Antoni Abat, on the 17th. It is also usually extended until Saint Fructuós, on the 21st, and Saint Vicenç, on the 22nd. The popular saying goes: for Saint Sebastià, it is cold that it cannot stand.

It is a day marked for a visit to our town. Rice is the central event of the party. However, there are also other events during the day of the celebration. At 8:00 in the morning, there is a mass and adoration of the relic of the saint. At 12:00 noon, there is another mass and worship, procession through the streets of the village and a concert offered by the choir. At 2 noon, the square of Saint Sebastià blessed rice. Everyone with his plate can go to find the rice and eat it in the square with the tables and benches that have been prepared for the occasion. In the afternoon, other cultural events held and there is a craft market throughout the day.

Let’s go!