Thrilling second night at the fiery festival that is Berga’s La Patum 

It is Thursday night in Berga, a city at the heart of Catalonia's countryside. People stand packed, corner to corner and perched on walls, gates and balconies. Spilling out of the square and into the side streets beyond, spectators jam together in an effort to catch a glimpse of the festivities taking place outside the town hall. 

This is Plaça Sant Pere, the epicenter of Berga where the festival of La Patum is in full swing. 

For those that have not had the pleasure of attending this UNESCO-recognized event before, La Patum de Berga is a traditional street celebration that began as a medieval festival and parade to celebrate the Christian holiday of Corpus Christi. Although it has segued away from its religious roots, the heart and soul of the festival has remained. For five days each June, friends, family, tourists, and everyone in between join Berga locals to witness and take part in their fire-filled celebrations. 

Although the festival’s acts parade through the town each day of the celebrations, Plaça Sant Pere plays host to all of La Patum’s mythical characters on Thursday, the night of Corpus Christi. 

The night revolves around the famous salt de Plens. Leading up to midnight and again at 2-3 am, close to 200 figures dressed up as demons enter the square and join the crowd, each holding a bounty of firecrackers and sparklers. All the lights in the square are turned off and festivalgoers don the red and black hats seen hanging around their necks during the day. Excitement builds as the live band starts to play until all hell breaks loose (so to speak) and the ‘demons’ adorned with leaves and branches light up, releasing a plume of smoke that shrouds the entire square. Lit only by the flames of the sparklers, the crowd swells and shifts along with the music and movement of the ‘demons’. The hats serve two purposes; first, as a ceremonial way to ward off the influence of the ‘demons’ but second in a more practical sense to deter any of the sparks from setting their hair on fire.

Over the two and a half hours leading up to midnight, onlookers are treated to a series of symbolic performances involving a number of different creatures. Dragons, giants, birds, and other animals each take their turn to dance around and excite the crowd. Whether it be hushing one another before the climactic Ball de L’Àliga, chanting along jovially to the folk songs played, or dancing as a complete unit in unison to accommodate the movement of the central dancers, the crowd at La Patum are truly a part of the celebrations.

For more information about the history of La Patum and what the festival entails, check out Catalan News' 'Unraveling Berga's secret: how La Patum festivities have endured 600 years'.