Correfoc

What a correfoc is

A correfoc is one part of a town festival, not a separate show. A group of people dress as devils and carry fireworks fixed to devil's forks, or the fireworks are hung over the route. Those who join in wear hats and cloths to guard against sparks and smoke, and they try to get near the devils as they run. Onlookers who prefer to keep their distance watch and step back when the fire comes their way.

Devils, drums and beasts

Drum bands usually walk with the devils, keeping time for the run. In some places the music is written for the festival rather than taken from a standing repertoire, and Manresa is one town where that happens. A band plays it, though recorded sound sometimes comes through speakers instead. Some groups also bring out figures of beasts, dragons or giants among them, which add to the sight. Music matters here because the devils move to it, and the crowd moves with them.

The carretillada at L'Arboç

L'Arboç keeps its own version of the fire tradition, and its village feast is crowned by an event called the Carretillada. On the night of the feast, the square is given over to a picture of Hell. For close to half an hour, devils set light to their carretilles, carts on wheels, and leap about without stopping. Two oversized props, a sceptre and the she-devil's fork, throw jets of fire and other pyrotechnics. The colla, the local group that stages it, adds something new each year, so no two Carretilladas are quite the same.

Festivals and towns

Correfocs belong to the festival calendar of Catalonia and Valencia, and many towns there hold one. Girona has its run at the festival of Saint Narcís, Tarragona at the Santa Tecla festival, and Barcelona at La Mercè. Sitges is known for runs where the crowd moves through narrow streets and squares thick with fireworks. Groups differ a lot from place to place. Some keep it simple, a short parade with fireworks and a devil figure; others fill a whole street with fire and noise.

How Correfoc is kept

A local devil group, the colla, leads the way. Its members wear devil costume and carry fireworks on forks, or on frames strung above the street. Drummers follow behind. Spectators who want to take part put on hats and cloths, then run in among the devils as the fireworks are lit. Others hold back and move away when a burst comes near. The group works through the streets and squares, and the run ends when its route is finished.

When and where

Correfocs are held during local festivals, usually in the evening or at night, when fireworks show best. There is no single date, because each town keeps its own feast days. Barcelona holds one at La Mercè. In Tarragona it comes with the Santa Tecla festival, and Girona keeps it at the feast of Saint Narcís.

They are strongest in the Catalan-speaking areas, Catalonia and Valencia, where many town festivals include one. Girona, Tarragona, Barcelona and Sitges each have their own run, and Manresa and L'Arboç do too, L'Arboç keeping the Carretillada as the high point of its feast.

What Correfoc means

Fire and devil figures give the feast a night that feels wild and playful together. Nothing is hidden: the devils are neighbours in costume, the fireworks are set off in the open, and the crowd decides how close to stand. Because the same colla turns out year after year, the run also carries a town's sense of itself, made by local people for local people, with visitors free to watch or to join.

Questions people ask about Correfoc

See also

HalloweenAn annual observance on 31 October marking the eve of All Saints' Day, rooted in Christian tradition and Celtic heritageBasque festivalGatherings of dance, sport and food that keep Basque culture alive far from homeRunning of the bullsRunners sprint ahead of loose bulls through barricaded town streets in summerFestival of San FermínAn annual nine-day festival in Pamplona featuring bull runs, parades, and street music.

Good reading and sources

• Correfoc on WikipediaEncyclopedia
• More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos and video
• Wikidata recordOpen data

It may contain mistakes. Traditions differ from one family, village and community to the next, and the people who keep them know them best. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-05.