Festivals in Catalonia
Edit ThisLa Tronada
culTOURa
Catalonia festivals offer spectacular demonstrations of traditional folklore, i.e:
"Dances" - Dancing
Town squares burst into life with displays of vibrant Catalan dancing: the Ball dels Gegants (the Dance of the Giants) with twelve foot models, the Ball de Gitanes (Gypsy Dance), the Sardanes and Ball de Bastons (Stick Dance).
"Castellers" - Human Castles
Originating from the region of Tarragona, south of Barcelona, is the famous Human Castle tradition. Hundreds of people balance on each other’s shoulders to create great trembling towers up to nine storeys high, accompanied by the traditional Catalan musicians “Grallers.” Ecstatic applause adds to the tense excitement and electric atmosphere.
"Correfocs" - Devils & Fire Throwing
The Correfoc (Fire Run) or Devil’s Dance (Ball de Diables) is one of the most stunning elements of Catalan festivals. Devil figures, stemming from Pagan legends, run through dusk darkened streets brandishing sparking forks amidst flames and fireworks.
"Cercaviles" - Folkloric Processions
Fantastical dragons, twelve foot giants, enormous headed dwarfs, magical fire dancers and lively musicians form vibrant processions that wind their way through the festival streets.
Below are a few interesting Festivals of the Catalonia region.
For details on dates and times, please see provided url information or check locally.
Contributors
June 19, 2006
change
by giorgio
July 11, 2006
change
by reen
Guissona Roman Festival
Edit ThisGaldiators
In July (date varies), as the afternoon heat sizzles away to leave a warm and soothing evening, the roman town of Guissona, situated 100km from Barcelona, prepares for the Battle of the Gladiators. This adrenalin provoking contest takes place in the town’s centre square where two Roman warriors duel to their theatrical deaths, representing the final and most striking event at the annual Roman Sun Festival of Guissona. The winding streets are converted into an emporium of colourful stalls, Roman dancing and slave auctions.
| World66 rating: | 
[rate it] |
| tel: | 0034 93 473 1731 |
| url: | www.cultourabcn.com |
| date: | 15th July |
| address: | Barcelona |
| email: | info@cultourabcn.com |
Vendrell Festival
Edit ThisHuman Castles
photo by: culTOURa
El Vendrell, situated 80 km from Barcelona, is brought to life with the festival spirit at the end of July as giants dance and twirl throughout the sunny morning streets. Straight after, lively local footwork can be viewed in the main town square which includes the Stick, Devil and Gypsy Dances. A hushed and expectant silence descends over the town as the Vendrell team of Human Castles begins the hair raising ascent skyward in a spectacular demonstration of the unique Catalan Human Castle tradition. Human Tower formations stem from 17th century Valencian dance in which a small more..
| World66 rating: |
[rate it] |
| tel: | 0034 93 473 1731 |
| url: | www.cultourabcn.com |
| date: | 26th July |
| address: | Barcelona |
| email: | info@cultourabcn.com |
Sitges Festival
Edit ThisHuman Castles
photo by: culTOURa
Sparkling splendour can be seen everywhere at the summer festival of Sitges. The main square of this lively and cosmopolitan fishing town becomes centre stage for a complete folkloric procession that features Giants and many other local dances for the day of Saint Bartomeu. Following this, the town’s people wait in expectant, tense silence as the Human Castle team begins their hair raising ascent skyward in a breath taking demonstration. Human Tower formations are based on a 17th century Valencian dance in which a few people balanced on each other’s shoulders to make a little more..
| World66 rating: |
[rate it] |
| tel: | 0034 93 473 1731 |
| url: | www.cultourabcn.com |
| date: | 24th August |
| address: | Sitges |
| email: | info@cultourabcn.com |
Vilafranca Festival
Edit ThisDevil Dance at Vilafranca
photo by: Sergi Ross
Vilafranca, located in the Penedes wine producing region, is the town most celebrated for its Human Castle formations in Catalunya. It is also famous for its Devils, who put on perhaps the most spectacular fire event in the whole of Catalonia. As dusk descends, the members of the Coll de Diables (Devil Group) don their capes and horns, pick up their devils` forks and head out into the streets. The first flame is ignited and held skywards where it sets alight a previously un-noticed network of fire crackers. It begins to rain fire and walls of blazing light stand out in the more..
| World66 rating: |
[rate it] |
| tel: | 0034 93 473 1731 |
| url: | www.cultourabcn.com |
| date: | 1st September |
| address: | Vilafranca |
| email: | info@cultourabcn.com |
Sant Magi Festival
Edit ThisHuman Castles
photo by: culTOURa
Legend tells how Saint Magí, born in the III century, caused water to miraculously broil forth from a spring to quench the thirst of dying soldiers. This historic feat is cause enough for an annual celebration in Tarragona, otherwise known as the “Festa Petita”, the smaller, though equally as striking, summer festival. On the 19th August, water is transported by garlanded horses and carriages from the sacred spring to the centre of Tarragona. Here, a celebration ensues in which the town’s teams of Human Castles cause a hushed and expectant silence to descend over the town more..
| World66 rating: |
[rate it] |
| url: | santmagi.tarragona.cat |
| date: | 19th August |
| address: | Tarragona |
Tecla Festival
Edit ThisLa Muixeranga
photo by: Ajuntament de Tarragona
Santa Tecla is the second and largest summer festival celebrated in the Roman city of Tarragona, for the Day of Santa Tecla on the 23rd of September. A week of festivities paves the way to the grand finale. The sunny streets of Tarragona will sparkle as mythical Catalan characters dance their way through the city in a full traditional folkloric procession which includes the Bull, Dragon, Devil, Giant and Turk Dances. Following this, the square will be transformed into a Human Castle arena as rival teams compete to see who can go higher in a spectacular demonstration of the more..
| World66 rating: |
[rate it] |
| tel: | 0034 93 473 1731 |
| url: | santatecla.tarragona.cat |
| date: | 23rd September |
| address: | Tarragona |
| email: | info@cultourabcn.com |
Festival of Catalonia
Edit ThisCorrebou
photo by: Ajuntament de Cardona
The Barrel Bull Dance at the festival of Catalonia is one of the most different and striking events that takes place in the region. Bull fighting is not a traditionally celebrated act in Catalonia, and in 2004 the city of Barcelona was declared an “Anti-Bull Fighting City.” The Iberian fascination with the bull, however, is still very much alive in this part of the world and forms the basis of Cardona’s annual festival. In the afternoon, a makeshift square bullring is set up in the town centre and the Barrel Bull dance begins. A young man hides himself in a barrel, which is more..
| World66 rating: |
[rate it] |
| tel: | 0034 93 473 1731 |
| url: | www.cultourabcn.com |
| date: | 9th September |
| address: | Cardona |
| email: | info@cultourabcn.com |
Reus Festival
Edit ThisLa Tronada
photo by: culTOURa
Originating in the 17th century and originally carried out with cannon shots, this striking event is used to mark an important moment in the town’s calendar. Straight afterwards the atmosphere will become hushed and expectant as Human Castles rise skyward in a spectacular demonstration of the unique Human Castle tradition. Human Tower formations stem from a 17th century Valencian dance in which a small number of people balanced on each other’s shoulders. It has since evolved into the massively celebrated Catalan event that it is today.
Organised day trips are more..
| World66 rating: |
[rate it] |
| tel: | 0034 93 343 7993 |
| url: | www.cultourabcn.com |
| address: | Reus |
| email: | cultoura@barcelona-on-line.es |
| date: | 29th June |
Misericordia Festival
Edit ThisCorrefoc Reus
photo by: culTOURa
The Modernist town of Reus celebrates its second big summer festival at the end of September for the Day of Misericordia (Compassion). A multitude of explosive events turns this week long traditional festival into a spectacular celebration and one of the most interesting and eye catching rituals is the Correfoc (Fire Run). As dusk falls over the town, devils run though the streets with fire forks amidst sparking fountains. The Correfoc comes from the older and more traditional Catalan Devil Dance, which is a type of street theatre in which the forces of Good (the Saint) fought more..
| World66 rating: |
[rate it] |
| tel: | 0034 93 473 1731 |
| url: | www.cultourabcn.com |
| date: | 16th September |
| address: | Reus |
| email: | info@cultourabcn.com |
Vilanova Festival
Edit ThisHuman Castles
photo by: culTOURa
The Summer Festival of Vilanova gets off to a stylish start with a sunny morning procession of fantastical Catalan Giants, culminating in a colourful show of twirling dancers. Following this event, the atmosphere becomes electric as everyone looks skyward and cheers on the Human Castle team as the formations grow higher and higher. The Human Tower tradition is unique to Catalonia and is based upon a 17th century Valencian dance in which a small number of people balanced on each other’s shoulders. It has since evolved into the massively celebrated Catalan tradition that it is more..
| World66 rating: |
[rate it] |
| tel: | 0034 93 473 1731 |
| url: | www.cultourabcn.com |
| date: | 5th August |
| address: | Barcelona |
| email: | info@cultourabcn.com |
Fire Festival of Maçanet
Edit ThisCorrefoc (Fire Run)
photo by: culTOURa
As the sun slowly fades, a new and tantalizing summer August evening begins. With it is born another vibrant Catalan festival to celebrate the warmest months of the year. In Maçanet de Selva, a small town located on the Costa Dorada, between Girona and Barcelona, the town devils get ready to reap good natured havoc in the dusky streets. The Correfoc (Fire Run) is an enormously popular traditional Catalan event during which people dressed in devil costumes run through the town holding fire forks that spark with orange and red flames. All harmless fun, but definitely one of the more..
| World66 rating: |
[rate it] |
| tel: | 0034 93 473 1731 |
| url: | www.cultourabcn.com |
| date: | 12th August |
| address: | Maçanet |
| email: | info@cultourabcn.com |
Giant Whirl festival of Montblanc
Edit ThisIn July (date varies), you will be able to watch one of the biggest annual gatherings of Giants in Catalonia. Huge 20 foot puppet like dolls, dressed in grandiose costumes from different areas of Catalonia, will congregate in the main square before taking part in medieval dancing and fire whirls. The Giant Dances stem from the 14th century when the town Guilds in Catalonia paid for the creation of fantastical, folkloric figures that accompanied the ecclesiastical processions on religious feast days.
Organised day trips are available, starting from the more..
| World66 rating: |
[rate it] |
| tel: | 0034 93 473 1731 |
| url: | www.cultourabcn.com |
| address: | Montblanc |
| email: | info@cultourabcn.com |
| date: | 7-9th July |
