February

Candelera Party in Valls and Calafell (2nd February)

The party of the Candles is celebrated by the women who are called Purification, Pure or Candeleres. In Valls, those women whose Patron Saint is the Verge of the Candela, those who have this name and those who are called simply Maria celebrate this date aswell. In some villages, singing some folk dances allusive to the mystery of Goig is one of the main traditions.

According to the legend, the Virgin brought the offering of two young pigeons to the Temple. Thus, the habit has continued through the time and today it feels ready of being unified for the parish tariffs. There are villages that bring chocolate, biscuits or young pigeons for the officiant and some trifle to the altar boys. In other places, people brings a bottle of wine to the priest and a cake for the altar boys, which is usually made by common seasoned pastry with oil or sugar and sweets, or of pastry that receives the name of "Maurada".

Party of Santa Àgueda or party of Riba-Roja d’Ebre’s women (5th February)

On the 5th of February the festivity of Saint Àgueda, who is the pattern of the women, is held. This party, like many others, had been forgotten in Tarragona’s regions and the entire Catalonia, but in year 1986 the Town Council of Riba-Roja D'ebre pioneered the recovery. In this village of the Ribera d’Ebre county, the Santa Àgueda’s celebration - as they call to the pattern there - has always been held, even though the date was limited to a church service sixteen years ago.

The parties of Saint Águeda which take place earliest are held in Riba-Roja D'ebre, since they usually start on the 1st or on the 2nd February. The women of Riba-roja organize very diverse celebrations, from championships of cards, exhibitions and minutes dedicated to the grandmothers of the village. The municipal plenum of proclamation of the mayoress and the town councilors is the culminating point of the party, although the afternoon snack served by the men is, possibly, the funiest and waited activity. The celebrations of the Saint, which can last four or five days in Riba-roja, have also dances with orchestra, theater and other typical activities of a small local festivity.

In Móra d’Ebre the acts of Santa Águeda are concentred in one or two days, always in weekend. The central act is the investitur’s plenum of the mayoress and the town councilors. During the investiture, the new mayoress reads a speech in which includes a range of proposals addressed to the official mayor from the local feminine community related on the improving of the village. Also there is a procession, a lunch of brotherhood, dancesw and masculine streptease. The party of Fatarella is also known; there the celebrations of Santa Águeda are set in the Local Festivities of winter dedicated to Sant Blai.

The Carnival of Reus, Tarragona and Godall

Lent begins on Wednesday of Ash and the days before it belong to the Carnival parties that normally start on Saturday with the arrival of the Carnival King. It is followed by cavalcades, fancy dresses and dances which end on Tuesday with the death and burial of the Carnival and the funeral of the sardine. If Carnival is represented popularly as a cheerful dummy and fatty, the Lent is seen as a slim, tall, bony and unkind old woman, who has seven legs and a dress of black and brings a cod and a basket of vegetables. The symbolism of this popular image is really clear because of the typical seriousness, sorrow, contemplation, prayer and fast of the Lent time.

The Carnival is the big party of the winter since Rome arrived at these lands. Although the main conference of the Carnival begin the Dijous Gras or ‘Fat Thursday’ and they finish the following Tuesday, Reus and Tarragona meet on the former Sunday in order to sing musical satires. The Carnival of Tarragona starts with the construction of a monumental barrel and finishes with its cream and that of the dummies of the King and Queen of the party. In Reus it is necessary to highlight the big participation of different groups and the mass meal on Monday; and Godall stands out thanks to the celebration of the only Tarragonese Carnival which overcame the war of 1936, in which the fancy dress lives together with the traditionals battles of flour.