Berga, in central Catalonia, is gearing up for its iconic Patum festival with a series of events under the 'La Patum tot l'any' (Patum All Year Round) programme. This year's programme will feature the unveiling of the official Patum T-shirt and the re-release of a rumba song, according to Berga officials.
The programme starts on Saturday, 2 May, with the presentation of the new official Patum T-shirt, designed by local artist Mar Guixé. The same day will see the launch of 'Rumba a la plaça' (Rumba in the Square), a song by musician Guillem Cardona. Berga's mayor, Ivan Sànchez, explained that 'La Patum tot l'any' aims to show that "Patum is not only lived for six days in the square, but goes beyond that."
Guixé expressed her honour at being asked to design the official T-shirt, stating she aimed for "a design that everyone would like and that I would wear myself." Without revealing the full design, she hinted it is based on "an association of ideas related to the night and sparks," and also "nods to Guillem's song."
New Rumba Anthem for Patum
The musical element gains importance this year with the re-release of Cardona's piece. He first shared an early version of 'Rumba a la plaça' during the 20th anniversary celebration of Patum's designation as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Cardona has now re-arranged the song, preparing it for its new launch in Sant Pere square.
"Given the success it seemed to have from people's response, and everything this song meant to me, to the festival, and to the town, I decided to dress it up more, bring out its full potential, and use it to launch it to the world," Cardona shared. He believes the song is "a way to record that celebration, which was a spectacular event that only lasted a day." Mayor Sànchez predicted the song "will end up being a generational anthem."
Both the T-shirt and the song will be revealed on Saturday, 2 May, starting at 11:30am in Sant Pere square, an event hosted by Xavi Rossinyol.
Cultural and Economic Discussions
Following the launch, the next event in the programme will also focus on music. On 22 May, Berga musician and composer Lluís Gual will give a lecture titled 'Lambert i la Patum' (Lambert and Patum) as part of the Àgora Cultural initiative. This talk will review the arrangements composer Joan Baptista Lambert made for Patum music in 1930, as well as the 'Marxa de la Patum' (Patum March) from 1929, tracing the history of these pieces from their debut to the present day. The lecture will take place in the Sala de Plens at 7pm.
On 25 and 26 May, the Espai Jove de Berga will host two sessions of the popular Patum Braiding Workshop. This activity, returning after last year's success with the expertise of Perruqueria Blanc o Negre, teaches participants how to create the distinctive hairstyle common among long-haired attendees. The workshop is free, but requires prior booking via WhatsApp at 667 840 303. Both sessions will run from 7pm to 8pm.
This year's programme also introduces a new event, the 1st Economy and Patum Conference: 'La Patum em dona vida' (Patum gives me life). This conference will bring together individuals from local businesses and the popular culture sector across Catalonia, Spain, and Europe. The discussions will look at the economic use of the festival, funding challenges, and comparisons with other celebrations. The event, organised in collaboration with ACEB, will be held on 27 May at the Convent de Sant Francesc at 7pm, hosted by Xavi Rossinyol and Marc Canturri.
The 'La Patum tot l'any' programme will conclude on 3 June with the creation of a Corpus carpet inside Santa Eulàlia Church. Local residents' associations from the Barri Vell will create the carpet between 8am and 2pm. The finished carpet will be on display during the Patum festival days and will preside over the liturgical acts of the celebration.
