El Ball de Diables del Vendrell (The Devils' Dance of El Vendrell ) is a Characteristic manifestation of the folklore of the regions of El Penedès and el Camp de Tarragona. Like every other folklore activity, its origin is uncertain and its meaning arouses a lot of controversy; anyway, the dance was probably part of the procession on Corpus Christi festivity in the Middle Ages; it also seems to have included, among its performances, an "Acte Sacramental", a display of the struggle between the God and the Evil, where, obviously, the former, personified as an angel, always beats the latter. Nowadays, a less sacred, more hedonistic spirit has shaped the activity of this group: Pyrotechnies has become the leading subject of the whole performance, and the showers of sparks and the firecrackers enthuse everyone approaching the infernal feast.

El Ball de Diables del Vendrell is a fire group whose history is even older than the town itself: references to a Devils' Dance on corpus Christy Day date back to the 15th century in the region of El Penedès, and to the end of the 16th century in El Vendrell. In recent years, with a well established democracy in our country, this group has held a leading role in the revival movement of the Catalan folklore.

The performances of this dance have three main parts: The "cercavila" or fire tour round the otrects and squares of the town. The "versos", a Kind of deeply ironic limericks, recited by the devil The "carretillada", where the fire is carried in wheelbarrows by running devils.

El Ball de Diables del Vendrell has performed not only at home, but is well known everywhere in Catalonia and abroad.

And remember:

Up here we are twenty DEVILS , but down there they are a lot more! I'm one of the devils of this dance. That's what I am, that's what I'll be. Long life to the She-devil and the horms of Lucifer!!!!!