Plaça Major has been, Thursday 4 July, the scene of the popular presentation of Aquelarre 2024, the fire party, the witches and the esotericism that will transform the city in the last week of August.
The 47th edition of the party will experience its peak on Saturday 31 of August with the appearance of the Male Goat in Cal Racó, but he will start warming up engines throughout the week with the first workshops of l'Aquelarret on 26 d'agost. The mayor of Cervera, Jan Pomés, highlighted "the involvement of all the town's entities to make possible a party that maintains its eminently popular character". For its part, the councilor of Aquelarre, Carolina Garcia, has pointed out "the importance of continuing to place Cervera in the imaginary col·education of the country in one of the reference dates of the summer of popular culture and fire”.
The festival maintains the essence of Cervera tradition, extends the Fira del Gran Boc by one day, which this year celebrates 25 years, recovers the participation of the Band Tokades and boosts the activities prior to the Aquelarre weekend with the traders' dinner, on Ash Wednesday and Maundy Thursday.
Apotheosic night
The most apotheous night of the Aquelarre will have the story of Lilit as its guiding thread, a mythological figure that has lasted through different eras. the goddess, associated with darkness and historically feared by men, will revive the Aquelarre in a transit through the most inhospitable corners of hell. Alea Teatre remains in charge of the artistic direction of the festival and this year it will be shared by two young people from Cervera. Gemma Oriol and Pol Bosch will be in charge of the central show of the party, which will experience the peak moment with the entrance of Mascle Cabró to Cal Racó. Before the traditional lighting at the University will be the start of the night of the Aquelarre with the descent of the Cervera entities that will be accompanied by the Ball de diables del Vendrell. The arrival of the parade and Ball de la Polla will light up Cal Racó after midnight, a space that will experience the peak moment with the flow of the Male Cabró well into the morning. The correfoc will have as guest group the Ball of Devils from Vilanova and Geltrú who will be guided by the Ball of Devils from Cervera Carranquers.
Meeting and parade with the bestiary
The party will heat up engines with the Bestiary Meeting and Fire Parade on Friday 30 of August with the planting in Plaça de la Universitat in the afternoon. The route, that will come out at 23.00 hours to Plaça Major, will have the participation of the Dragon of Santa Margarida de la Riera de Gaià, the Donkey Scarecrow of Sant Jaume dels Domenys, the Víbria of Tarragona, the Cabrot del Vendrell, Lo Carrancó Bilandó and the Tarasca of Cervera. Plaça Major will be the stage for the performance of the Band Tokades, the cerverí percussion group 100% feminine, that this year will be the protagonist of the Aquelarre.
25th anniversary of the Gran Boc Fair
The Gran Boc Fair, which becomes one of the claims of the Aquelarre weekend, will return to the University courtyard this year and will maintain the food area in Plaça de la Universitat and Rambla Lluís Sanpere with a wide range of food trucks. To celebrate the 25th anniversary, the fair will gain a day and will open its doors on Friday afternoon in Aquelarre, reclaiming the most authentic space in the University courtyard. The event is one of the most important esoteric fairs in Catalonia and there will be esoteric professionals, tarot and palmistry with a wide range of natural products, handmade, informative workshops and conferences with nearly a hundred stops.
Music poster
Music will continue to be one of the elements that accompany the party and this year the bet is maintained for emerging groups from the territory with registrations for all audiences. Les Coco will perform on Friday and Saturday nights, The kitchen, Hey Pachucos, Portobello i The Pink Goats, others, which will be accompanied by a dozen DJs in the spaces of the Plaça Major, Santa Anna Square and Cal Racó. An offer that guarantees good music and doses of fun for the younger and older audience every night until well into the morning.
The Aquelarret
L'Aquelarret will start warming up engines from 26 of August with the programming of the first workshops that will continue until 30 d'agost. The parade for children will be the protagonist on Saturday afternoon with the participation of the Junior Astarot, the devils Sucube and Lilit, the performances of the groups, the appearance of Cabronet, the foqueralet and the final foam.
Tickets for Cal Racó and the camping area
During the next few weeks, tickets will go on sale to be able to follow the central show of the Mascle Cabró from Cal Racó through the l’Aquelarre website. This year the camping area is also being strengthened for all those who stay in Cervera during the Aquelarre weekend and tickets can also be purchased through the festival website.