The facade of Berga Town Hall now displays the Patum 2026 t-shirt, a creation by local illustrator Mar Guixé. This edition stands out for its broader color palette, incorporating black, green, and yellow, and features iconic elements of the festival such as the guita, the moon, and the stars.
The public presentation took place on Saturday, May 2, in Sant Pere Square, although rain forced a half-hour delay. The event served to unfurl a giant version of the t-shirt on the town hall facade, a well-established tradition, and to introduce the new Patum rumba by local musician Guillem Cardona.
This event was part of the Fira de Maig program, held in the city over the weekend, and marks the beginning of the La Patum tot l'any cycle of activities, which will extend throughout May until Corpus week.
“"It was a fleeting show, but it marked us all deeply, and we felt something was left undone."
The rumba, named Rumba a la Plaça, played as the giant t-shirt was unfurled. Guillem Cardona himself was in charge of directing the unveiling. The musician explained that the rumba's origin lies in the celebration show for the 20th anniversary of Patum as Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, with the aim of showcasing local talent and capturing the essence of the festival.
A spokesperson for the town hall highlighted that the t-shirt not only contributes to the festival's funding but also fosters cohesion among participants. The idea is for Rumba a la Plaça to be played during the pre-events of Corpus and become another anthem of the festival, alongside songs like L'últim tirabol by Brams and Llavis negres by Trinxats. The new track is already available on digital platforms.
The Banda de l'Escola Municipal de Música de Berga concluded the event by performing two additional Patum pieces, El Tirabou and La Patumaire. The t-shirt, priced at 15 €, can now be purchased at three sales points in Berga: Botiga de la Manela, Fígols Home-Dona, and La Patumaire. As usual, its production was handled by the Fundació Horitzó del Berguedà, providing a social component by offering employment to people with mental health issues.
