People completely covered with devil masks in front of their faces. The air thick with the smell of sulfur. Loud, haunting music from all directions, plus rain of sparks and fountains of fire wherever the eye looks. What sounds like a scene from a post-apocalyptic film is the atmosphere that you can only experience at the Nit de Foc! In August, on the eve of Saint John, this festival takes place in many places on the island and Capdepera becomes an almost surreal backdrop for a few hours!
Nit de Foc: fire, devil and music!
Anyone who has never experienced the Nit de Foc should be prepared for a spectacle that one cannot actually imagine. The preparations start in Capdepera days before the actual festival. A stage is set up, the pyro effects are prepared in the alleys – and information on behavior during the celebration is given out. On the day of the event itself, it almost feels a bit oppressive to see house entrances and windows being covered and people pulling out long clothes, hats and gloves in the middle of summer to protect themselves from the rain of sparks at night .
After sunset everyone gathers in front of the church, the drums echo through the alleys and the joyful anticipation can be felt everywhere. When the devils and demons start moving, take the place in front of the church and the spectacle begins with an incredible pyro show, the whole village starts moving. In the glow of the sparks and flames there is dancing, cheering and the audience becomes a surging mass that finally sets in motion and pulls through the village. Wherever you go, the fire is everywhere and only the right clothing will ensure that the skin is protected from the sparks that seem to come from everywhere.
An experience that is difficult to describe
Anyone who has not yet experienced the Nit de Foc live can hardly understand the atmosphere and mood that arises. Brave people jump right into the action and let the crowd carry them along. Everyone else would do well to stay a little on the edge and observe from there first and then decide how close you want to get to the celebrating crowd. Because, we would also like to mention that, it will be tight, it will be wild and once you get into the middle of the demons and devils, you won’t get out so quickly and can also be easily overwhelmed by the impressions.
In any case, the Night of Fire is an event that you simply have to experience! This festival is celebrated very intensively in Capdepera and attracts many visitors. Like many other festivals, this is of course not possible in 2021 – but we hope that next year will make the great events possible again!
