Thousands of people fill this Thursday Francesc Macià avenue and Ferran de Lleida rambla on a Sant Jordi day marked by the debut of the reformed section of the rambla as a new point for the stalls of the professional sector. The change seeks to reduce crowds on one of the days with most influx of the local calendar.
The reorganization of the space has displaced professional bookstores and flower shops to the renovated area of the rambla, while the space they occupied until now on Francesc Macià avenue is reserved this year for the stands of entities. The distribution is put to the test on a day with great pedestrian movement from early morning.
More stalls and a new distribution in the center
La Paeria has authorized 217 stalls throughout the city, fourteen more than in 2025. The good weather forecast and the pull of the festival fuel the expectations of the sector, which faces one of the most important commercial dates of the year.
Jordi Souto, responsible for the La Fatal bookstore, positively values the change of location and the atmosphere of the day.
"The feeling is that the weather will be magnificent and that there will be no excuse to come to the rambla" - Jordi Souto, manager of the bookstore La Fatal
The bookseller also maintains that the move to the renovated section has allowed to double the space for pedestrians, a key factor to facilitate mobility in an area that concentrates a good part of the traffic during Sant Jordi.
The sector trusts in a key day for sales
In bookstores, the day is experienced with the usual pressure of a decisive date for turnover. Joan Roure, co-owner of the La Irreductible bookstore, highlights the weight that this day has in the annual balance of the business.
"A lot is at stake for us because the cash we make today will help us compensate for the months of May and August, which are very weak, and that the times accompany us is key" - Joan Roure, co-owner of the bookstore La Irreductible
Also, florists closely follow the public's response. Samanta Torres, from Flor Luxe, notes that tradition maintains the pulse of demand, although prices have adjusted upwards compared to last year.
"The feeling is good because people really like tradition and there's always a lot of movement. Last year we made them for five euros and this year we have them for six euros because, in the end, everything ends up going up" - Samanta Torres, from the Flor Luxe florist
With the center of Lleida transformed into a large showcase of books and roses, the new municipal distribution faces its first Sant Jordi with a high influx and with the focus on the more fluid passage of pedestrians helping to sustain the pace of sales throughout the day.