This year's Festa Major de Sant Pere in Reus presents a diverse program featuring traditional festive parades, cultural events, concerts, and family-oriented activities. Among the numerous happenings, five key moments stand out as particularly vibrant.
The Plaça del Mercadal will host the spectacular 'La Tronada', one of the most significant pyrotechnic events in the Catalan Countries. This display of light and sound, marked by the firing of gunpowder mortars, signifies crucial points in the celebration. This year, the festival includes six 'Tronades', with two extraordinary ones commemorating the 700th anniversary of Corpus Christi and the 400th of the arrival of Saint Peter's bust in the city. Traditionally, four main 'Tronades' occur: one marking the festival's start, another during the festive procession's passage by the City Hall on June 28th, a third on Saint Peter's Day morning, and the last in the afternoon as the saint's bust passes the town hall.
Younger attendees will enjoy the 'Cercavila del Seguici Petit' (Little Festive Procession Parade), which begins on June 27th at 6:00 PM from the City Hall, offering families a chance to participate.
The eve of Saint Peter's Day features the 'Anada a Completes' (Procession to Compline) towards the Prioral church. This revered tradition, starting from the Plaça del Mercadal with the Festive Procession, musical bands, and the municipal corporation, symbolizes the festival's deep cultural roots. A notable highlight will be the walking pillar by the Xiquets de Reus human tower group, followed by a 'Tronada'.
The 'Revetlles de Sant Pere' (Saint Peter's Eve Festivities) will keep the celebration alive until dawn with a diverse musical lineup catering to all tastes, from live bands to DJs, fostering a lively nocturnal atmosphere.
On Saint Peter's Day itself, the Plaça del Mercadal will be the focal point, hosting the Festive Procession's performance and a human tower display by the Xiquets de Reus starting at 11:30 AM. The afternoon will conclude with the Solemn Procession, led by the bust of Saint Peter, and a final 'Tronada'.
