Sant Miquel de Balansat celebrated its older residents on Sunday, October 4, with a traditional day of community, local culture and family gathering that attracted a record attendance of almost 200 people.

The annual celebration brought together older residents and their companions for a programme combining religion, ball pagès, food and entertainment.

The main gathering took place at Restaurante Sol i Camp in Port de Sant Miquel, following a solemn Mass and traditional dance performance in the village.

A Day Dedicated to Sant Miquel's Older Residents

The day's programme began with a solemn Mass dedicated to the older residents of the parish.

After the religious service, the area outside the church became the setting for a traditional ballada pagesa performed by the Colla de Balansat, continuing the cultural traditions that form an important part of the local celebrations.

The gathering then moved to Port de Sant Miquel, where the traditional communal lunch was held at Restaurante Sol i Camp.

Record Attendance

According to Sant Joan de Labritja Mayor Tania Marí, this year's celebration reached its highest attendance to date, with close to 200 people including older residents and accompanying guests.

The mayor described the occasion as a particularly emotional and appreciative celebration, highlighting the opportunity for residents to meet, share memories and recognise the contribution made by older generations to the community.

The event has become a long-standing tradition in Sant Miquel, providing an annual opportunity for local residents and friends of the parish to come together.

A Celebration of Community

The atmosphere at the lunch was marked by conversation, humour and personal stories.

Among those attending was 76-year-old Joana Maria, a Sant Miquel resident for around half a century, who joked that she was already a senior because she was “18 years old”.

Other attendees included Maria de Can Gall, who was born in 1942, and 78-year-old Maria de Can Casetes, who attended with her husband, Toni.

The oldest person highlighted in the gathering was 86-year-old Elia, who described herself as both Cuban and pagesa. Born in Cuba, she moved to Ibiza with her husband in the 1960s and has lived on the island ever since.

These personal stories reflected the intergenerational history and strong local connections represented by the celebration.

Keeping Local Traditions Alive

The day was not only about the lunch itself. The combination of Mass, ball pagès and community gathering brought together several elements of Sant Miquel's local identity.

The ballada pagesa formed part of the wider cultural programme of the parish festivities, with traditional music and dance providing a link between the celebration and Ibiza's rural heritage.

The programme continued after the lunch with activities in Sant Miquel, including children's entertainment, theatre and an electro bingo.

For the older residents at the centre of Sunday's gathering, however, the most important part was the opportunity to meet friends and neighbours and enjoy a day together.

Recognising a Generation

Mayor Tania Marí said the celebration was a way of recognising people who had spent their lives working, raising families and contributing to the community.

She described the gathering as an opportunity to thank older residents for what they have done throughout their lives and for the legacy they have helped create.

With almost 200 people attending this year's event, the traditional celebration once again provided Sant Miquel with an opportunity to honour its older residents while keeping its local customs and community spirit at the heart of the festivities.