{{Short description|Fire-centric feature of Catalan festivals}} {{More references|date=September 2020}} {{Catalan-speaking world|image=200px|caption=Correfocs in Tarragona|expanded=Traditions}} [[Image:Correfocs Girona 2015.ogg|thumb|300px|Video of ''correfoc'' in Girona]] [[Image:Dimonis de l'Avern.jpg|thumb|250px|''Correfoc'' in Valencia]]
'''''Correfocs''''' ({{IPA|ca|ˌkorəˈfɔks}}); literally in English "fire-runs") are among the most striking features present in Valencian and Catalan festivals. In the ''correfoc'', a group of individuals will dress as devils and light up fireworks – fixed on devil's pitchforks or strung above the route. Some groups have beasts like dragons or giants<ref>{{Cite web |title=correfoc {{!}} enciclopedia.cat |url=https://www.enciclopedia.cat/gran-enciclopedia-catalana/correfoc |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=www.enciclopedia.cat |language=ca}}</ref>. The spectators that participate dress with hats and handkerchiefs to protect themselves<ref>{{Cite web |last=MATEU |first=DAVID GARCÍA |date=2016-09-21 |title=¿Qué no vestir en el 'correfoc' de la Mercè? |url=https://www.elperiodico.com/es/barcelona/20160921/que-no-vestir-en-el-correfoc-de-la-merce-5397965 |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=El Periódico |language=es}}</ref> against burns or smoke as attempt to get as close as possible to the devils, running with the fire. Other spectators will watch from "safe" distances, rapidly retreating as necessary.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=|title=Correfoc {{!}} Cultura Popular|url=https://www.barcelona.cat/culturapopular/en/festivals-and-traditions/festival-characters-and-elements/correfoc|access-date=2020-09-05|website=Barcelona City Council}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Jessop|first=Tara|title=Everything You Need To Know About The Catalan Correfoc|url=https://theculturetrip.com/europe/spain/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-catalan-correfoc/|access-date=2020-09-05|website=Culture Trip}}</ref> A ''correfoc'' is different from a parade or a procession. The ''correfoc'' is faster and can be very intense, and the parade is slower and usually without participation of the people.
The ''correfoc'' can come in many forms. Some are simple parades using fireworks and effigies of the devil. In other ones, like Sitges, it is common for the crowd to run through narrow streets or squares filled with fireworks. ''Correfocs'' are usually run during catalan local festivals, like Festival of ''La Mercè'' in Barcelona,<ref name=":0" /> the Festival of ''Santa Tecla'' in Tarragona<ref>{{Cite web|title=El Correfoc pone punto final a las fiestas de Santa Tecla más reivindicativas|url=https://www.diaridetarragona.com/tarragona/El-Correfoc-pone-punto-final-a-las-fiestas-de-Santa-Tecla-mas-reivindicativas-20180925-0018.html|access-date=2020-09-05|website=Diari de Tarragona|language=es-ES}}</ref> and the Festival of ''Saint Narcissus'' in Girona.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-10-25|title=¿Qué hacer en las Fires de Sant Narcís 2018?|url=https://www.lavanguardia.com/local/girona/20181026/452523413613/que-hacer-fires-sant-narcis-2018-girona.html|access-date=2020-09-05|website=La Vanguardia|language=es}}</ref>
== Music == Usually, ''correfocs'' have drum bands that follow the devils, but some of them, like Manresa, incorporated music composed specifically for the occasion<ref>{{Cite web |last=Festes.org |date=2026-02-13 |title=Correfoc |url=https://www.festes.org/ca/calendari/festes-d-estiu/1599/article/1154/correfoc |access-date=2026-02-13 |website=Festes.org |language=ca}}</ref>. The music usually can be played for band, or in some cases, pre-recorded audio files are played with speakers.
== Examples == Another typical Catalan folkloric expression of this sort takes place in L'Arboç. The highlight of the village's feast is the ''Carretillada''. In the evening of the feast day, the town square is made to look like Hell. For nearly half an hour, "devils" burn their ''carretilles'' (carts), jumping around ceaselessly, while a large "sceptre of Lucifer" and the "pitchfork of the ''Diablessa'' (she-devil)" shoot fire-jets and other pyrotechnics. Every year, the ''carretillada'' is a bit different, because the 'colla' does not give up novelties that are added each year to add to the spectacle.
==Gallery== <gallery widths="200" heights="140" perrow="3"> File:Anarco-rrefoc.jpg|Correfoc in Benimaclet File:Correfoc-2023-01-20-campanar-08.jpg|Devil raising the pitchfork above participants heads and devil's processional giant head. File:Correfoc-2023-01-20-campanar-12.jpg|Devil pointing the pitchfork fireworks to the floor and running towards the crowd. File:Correfoc-2023-01-20-campanar-14.jpg|Devil using a backpack equipped with fireworks. Víbria de Manresa 2.jpg|''Víbria'' (Female dragon) in Manresa File:Sucspirart4.jpg|Correfoc in Sant Martí de Provençals </gallery>
==See also== *Ball de diables *Toro de fuego *Processional giant *Patum de Berga ==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== {{Commons category}} * [http://anibaltrejo.com/blog/?s=CORREFOC Correfoc images] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20060830203001/http://www.elsducs.org/correfocs/ Els Ducs del Foc] {{in lang|ca}} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20160317104534/http://www.collabasilisc.cat/ Colla del Basilisc] {{in lang|ca}} * [http://www.correfoc.org Grup del Correfoc del Follet i la Fantasma de Sant Feliu de Codines] {{in lang|ca}} * [http://www.xaldiga.cat/ Xaldiga de Manresa] {{in lang|ca}} * [http://etnocat.readysoft.es/festafoc/arbocenc/ Ball de diables de L'Arboç] * [http://www.spanien-katalonien.info/fotos_corre/fotos_correfoc.htm Correfoc photos and films] * [http://www.correfocs.cat Fills de Satanàs de l'Spelunca Diabòlica] * {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/19981206155219/http://www.aquelarre.org/ Aquelarre de Cervera]}} * [http://www.correfoc.cat Dimonis de l'Avern] * [http://www.dimonispv.cat Federació de Dimonis i Diables del País Valencià] * [http://pitti.carbonmade.com/projects/2352459 Great Devils in Panamá] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20110201105114/http://senyorsdelfoc.com/ Senyors del foc, Castelló d'Empúries, Catalunya] * [http://anotherworldblog.wordpress.com/2011/10/07/probably-the-stupidest-thing-ive-ever-done-la-merce-part-3/ La Merce Part 3] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20130806212046/http://www.diables.cat/ Pàgina oficial de la Federació de Diables i Dimonis de Catalunya] {{in lang|ca}} * [http://www.dimonisdecampanar.org Dimonis de Campanar]{{dead link|date=August 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} * [http://www.diables.org Diables de Terrassa] * [https://jaimenicolau.com/correfocs-en-leliana Image Gallery, Correfoc at L'Eliana, Valencia, Spain]
{{Traditional festivals in Spain}} {{Culture of Valencian Community}}
Category:Catalan folklore Category:Catalan symbols Category:Culture of the Valencian Community