Calendar of celebrations
JANUARY:
L'ENCAMISADA.
(On
the closest weekend
to Saint Anthony’s day, January, the 17th), Falset
celebrates the “Encamisada”. Saturday evening and Sunday morning, people
dressed up with the typical costume of this celebration
ride horses and “carts” decorated with flowers and other elements and
they parade around the village. Most of the inhabitants of Falset participate in
this activity. Once the parade arrives to the church square, the animals are
blessed, since it’s said that Saint Anthony is the patron of the animals.The
end of the celebration begins with a mass, and afterwards, and also inside the
church, a group of young people dance the Jota of Falset (a traditional dance of
this village). Right after that, people can buy the blessed bread of St.
Anthony. L’Encamisada finishes when the “image” of the saint is taken to
its hermitage.
FEBRUARY:
Saint
Blai’s day. (February
, the 3rd). On this day, a 10 or 20 meters (!) long cake (made of
onion and paprika), is taken out to the street, and after being blessed, the
people walks around the village with it followed by the music band of Falset.
It’s taken to the St. Blai’s hermitage and afterwards it’s decided by lot.
While the draw takes place, people can eat fritters and “guinaldos” and
drink VI RANCI or garnacha (sweet wine). During this act, some people dance Sardana (the typical Catalan dance). Once
the long cake has been decided by lot, the
music band accompanies the winner (and
his/her cake) home playing through the streets of Falset.
MAY:
WINE’S
FAIR.
(On
the first weekend of May). Several wine producers of this area (Priorat) get
together to celebrate the wine’s fair. Here, the visitors have the opportunity
of tasting all the wines of this area (having paid a ticket previously). During
this event, expositions, conferences and similar activities about this product
take place in the village. It’s worth to mention that the wine of Priorat is
highly reputed (in quality and taste) not only Spain, but also abroad.
AGOST:
FESTIVAL
OR FÊTE OF FALSET.
(August,
the 14th -
18th)
This
is the main feast of the year in Falset. Apart from concerts every night and
all-night parties (just like everywhere), the village offer characteristic
activities of the place. For
example, there is the “Espigol” (it’s
the name of a very scented plant): basically the children: they
go thru the streets of the village throwing espigol all around, so the streets
get the air has this nice perfume. The
“cakes dances”: boys take girls to dance in the major square of this village
to the sound of the music band. Once the dance finishes, the boy buys a cake for
the girl. The “Flowers battle” is another ludic activity.......
NOVEMBER:
SAINT
ANDREW’S FAIR.
(November, the 29th-30th). It’s a comercial and
industrial fair where producers and clients get together to sell and buy a big
variety of products