Support the Sant Jordi NYC Festival of Books & Roses

This April, the beloved Catalan festival of Sant Jordi comes to a new home in New York City's West Village, reimagined as a spirited, street-wide celebration – just like the annual Barcelona tradition. Earlier this year, we engaged in a/launched? new partnership with the West Village Business Improvement District, opening up an exciting new chapter that allows us to transform Sant Jordi in New York into a four-day Catalan party celebrating roses, dragons and world literatures.

As we begin our second decade of celebrating Sant Jordi in New York City, your support is crucial to fully realize our ambitious vision for 2025 and ensure the continued success of this cherished festival in the years to come.

Rooted in Legend, Celebrated Through Tradition

The Sant Jordi Festival of Books & Roses is inspired by the enduring tale of Saint George, who slew the firebreathing dragon to save the king’s daughter and her town, Montblanc, from destruction. As the legend goes, a rosebush sprang from the drops of blood that fell from the dragon’s wounded wing. In Catalonia, this blossomed into an annual celebration each April 23rd, where friends and lovers exchange books and roses. Initiated centuries ago and revitalized in the 1920s through collaboration between Catalan booksellers, Sant Jordi has become a vibrant emblem of romance, literature, and cultural identity.

Sant Jordi Rides to New York

In New York City, Sant Jordi began with intimate gatherings celebrating Catalan literature and quickly evolved into an inclusive event celebrating literary translation and cultural dialogue. Over the past decade, we've grown from small bookstore events to an online festival to–now–a street festival showcasing authors from around the world, with food, beverages, music, video mapping, and—above all—books.

This year's move to the streets of the West Village lays the foundation for Sant Jordi to become an annual highlight in one of the city's most vibrant and literary neighborhoods, in fact, the heart and soul of American literature. What we bring to the mix is the rest of the world.

While plans move forward, we still need individual support to bring this year’s event to the finish line.

Why Your Support Matters

Expanding the festival brings inspiring possibilities, including more diverse events, increased visibility, and greater opportunities to introduce this gorgeous Catalan tradition–like Valentine’s Day, but with books!— to new locals and visitors alike. Highlights of this year’s festival include:

The West Village: Cradle of (Latin) American Literature: We will explore these hidden writers with Esther Allen, biographer and translator of José Martí; Suzanne Jill Levine, biographer and translator of Manuel Puig, and Luisa Valenzuela, acclaimed Argentine novelist and former Village dweller will be seen on tape, and special guest, Jaime Manrique, renowned Colombian novelist and poet. Moderated and orchestrated by Marguerite Feitlowitz.
A focus on Catalan women writers and how they see the world, with the debut event for the first English edition of Aram’s Notebook by Maria Àngels Anglada, translated by Ara Merjian. Also featuring Marialena Carr and Mary Ann Newman reading from their translations of Irene Pujades and Antònia Vicens.
Upending the European canon: A bestselling 18th century protofeminist writer, acclaimed by Diderot, disappears from French literary history; young Spanish and French writers of North African origin tell unexpected stories of Europe; a French novelist travels in time through her translation of Virginia Woolf.
A street fair filled with books, roses, Catalan food, vermouth, beer, Japanese sweets, and more! In the spirit of "Buy a book, get a rose!", we will be giving away roses, books, honey, and broth. Bring the whole family: there will be children's activities, a webAR game featuring a playful baby dragon, a photo booth, tote bags, and lots of festive fun.
The stage program includes a rich lineup of live music, international readings, and performances: Live world music performances by Paloma Toll, Nana Simopoulos Duo, and NOIA. Readings and talks by acclaimed authors such as Sarah Prager, Ross Perlin, the DADA Collective from Three Rooms Press--Peter Carlaftes, Kat Georges, Andrei Codrescu, Jane LeCroy--, Basque poet in New York, Kirmen Uribe, and Afro-Spanish actress and playwright, Silvia Albert Sopale, among others. Special tributes to West Village literary culture and world voices of cultural heterogeneity, with a loving finale of Catalan poetry.
The spectacular opening and closing act will be an immersive video mapping projection on the façade of a historic building in the West Village as part of the Sant Jordi Festival, a celebration of literature, culture, and tradition created by the artist Laia Cabrera and Isabelle Duverger (Laia Cabrera & Co.)

Your donation directly supports our launch onto Christopher Street and ensures our expanded street celebration becomes an annual West Village Tradition.

Join Us—Be Part of the Legacy

Your support means more than just funding this year’s festival—it’s about preserving and sharing a rich cultural heritage and fostering international literary dialogue in New York City for years to come. Help transform Sant Jordi NYC into an annual West Village festival.

No contribution is too small, and all donations are tax-deductible.

Sponsorship Levels

Petal $25
Just as every petal contributes to the beauty of the rose, your support helps our festival flourish.

Rose $50
Your generosity helps our celebration grow and blossom.

Bouquet $100
Representing the community, your support helps bring diverse traditions and exciting programming to a growing audience.

Book $250
Your generosity sets the stage for creativity, bringing fresh literary voices and stories to life.

Dragon $500
Your contribution ignites the spirit of our festival for 2025 and beyond.

Heritage $1,000+
Your commitment ensures the festival's legacy endures, safeguarding the future of the Sant Jordi festival in New York City.

Legend $5,000
The top sponsorship spot is available to one donor, or organization whose unmatched generosity is recognized with prominent recognition as the title sponsor for the event.

Help Make Sant Jordi a Lasting NYC Tradition—Donate Now!

We deeply appreciate your generosity, and no contribution is too small. Please share this opportunity widely to help us expand the reach and legacy of Sant Jordi in NYC.

Sant Jordi NYC Festival 2025

Returning to NYC April 23-May 17. Donate to secure our new home in the West Village