On April 23 in Barcelona, radio station Cadena SER organized a large-scale public broadcast dedicated to Sant Jordi Day. A stage was set up on Casp Street, next to the Ràdio Barcelona office, where for twelve hours, hosts, writers, musicians and invited guests took turns. The event gathered hundreds of listeners and became one of the main highlights of the day for city residents.
Morning broadcast and literary encounters
The day began with a live broadcast by Àngels Barceló, who opened the show from Casp Street at 8 a.m. The program “El Abierto” was held in this format for the first time, giving listeners the opportunity to take seats right in front of the stage. Later, at 10:00, Antonio Martínez Asensio hosted a conversation with writer Manuel Vilas, who presented his new book Islandia, where the author reflects on personal transformation. After “la biblioteca de don Asensio” ended, the team of Aquí Catalunya led by Marina Fernàndez took to the stage. They were joined by Andrea Genovart, winner of the Llibres de Anagrama award, singer Miqui Puig, and sports journalist Santi Giménez. The musical segment was supported by Pep Sala and Litus, adding to the festive live atmosphere.
Daytime programs and sports topics
At noon the broadcast turned to the show Què t’hi jugues! with Sique Rodríguez and Lluís Flaquer. Joining them on stage were Lluís Carreras and Jofre Mateu to discuss the upcoming Barça – Celta de Vigo match. Special attention was drawn to the participation of Joan Dausà, who not only joined the discussion but also gave a musical performance. The program featured two new books: Mi próxima parada by José Mari Bakero and Mi loca historia del básquet, written by Andrés Jiménez. At 2:00 p.m., Joan Bofill hosted the Hora 14 edition on the street for the first time, focusing on the main Diada news.
Evening: literature, music, and discussion of fakes
In the afternoon, Carles Francino launched a special edition of Ventana de Sant Jordi. Together with Emma Vallespinós and poet Benjamín Prado, he welcomed to the stage Marta Jiménez Serrano, author of one of the year’s most popular books, Oxígeno, as well as Máximo Huerta with his novel Mamá está dormida. Journalist Marc Amorós discussed the biggest “fake news” cases in literature. Joining the broadcast were Toni Martínez and the Todo por la Radio team, as well as Marc Giró, who has recently launched a new show on La Sexta. The evening’s musical highlight was a performance by Sopa de Cabra, celebrating 40 years of their career.
The day’s finale and new books
Anna Puigboltas wrapped up the marathon with the El Balcó de SER Catalunya team. Guests included journalist Antoni Bassas and writers Llucia Ramis, Pol Guasch, and Regina Rodríguez Sirvent. One highlight was the presentation of the book Kokoro y el mar by María Belón, supported by director J. Bayona—her story was the inspiration for the film Lo Imposible. This format of celebrating Sant Jordi continues the Cadena SER tradition of large-scale live broadcasts, as seen at other major events, such as the Feria de Abril in Seville, where the station marked the anniversary of EL PAÍS (details about that event).
