What's the story:

Can you imagine how difficult it must be to run with a oil lamp, attached to your pants, to the finish line? In Prat de Comte the people are experts in traditional races. Go and see it yourselves, and if you want, you can even participate.

What about carrying an egg with a wooden spoon in your mouth all along the Major Street or jumping in a sack in order to win the Talaques race? And if you are good athletes, you must participate in the race for adults and children at the Station Street.

Four experienced villagers will have to compete to collect a total of thirty stones, one by one, arranged in rows in front of the Church and put them in a cot at one end of the row.

And to increase the excitement of the competition, the trophy for the winners will be showed at the square:  hanging on a long stick a rooster and a rabbit wait to be given away. At the other extreme, a big onion. The rooster is the trophy for the first prize. The rabbit is the second prize and the onion the third one.  As they say in the village, "the onion will make the looser cry and oblige him/her to be better next year”.

The celebration held in honor of Saint Bartholomew is complemented with the Jota dance and activities for children, as the feast of costumes and piñatas.

It’s a nice chance to see some traditional races as they were held long before.

Timetable:

Sunday, August 23, 2009 at 18:00.

Price:

For free

The best season:

summer

Lunch tips:

Ee recommend you the restaurant and rural accommodation Mas del Cigarrer located between Horta de Sant Joan and Bot at 10 km. You can also have lunch at the restaurant of the hotel Vilar Rural d'Arnes.

More info:

Summary of events 2009:

23/08 Races (in front of the Church, at the Station Street and the Major Street)
24/08 Jotas dancing (in front of the church)
26/08 Children's Day (chocolate, piñatas, dress party and fire works)

Photo: © Juan Revillas, ExploraTgn.cat