Nit de Foc Mallorca 2026: Correfocs and Fire Runs Explained

Mallorca has festivals that fascinate visitors from all over the world, and then it has the Nit de Foc. The fire runs, called "correfoc" in Catalan, are among the loudest and most exciting traditions on the island. People who experience a Nit de Foc for the first time come away either thrilled or intimidated, and often both. This post explains what actually happens at a correfoc on Mallorca, where the best fire runs take place in 2026, and how to prepare properly.

What is a correfoc?

A correfoc (Catalan for "fire run") is a traditional street event from the Catalan and Balearic cultural sphere. Groups dressed as devils, the colles de dimonis, run through the crowd carrying burning firework forks and spraying sparks. Onlookers and participants dance in the shower of sparks while drums and pipes provide the soundtrack. Today the term covers the whole spectacle of a fire night, in other words the Nit de Foc.

The tradition goes back to medieval devil dances, was revived in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands in the 1980s, and is now a fixed part of nearly every village festival on Mallorca. According to the Govern de les Illes Balears, the correfoc counts as intangible cultural heritage of the Balearics, a designation that has been official since 2016.

When and where is the Nit de Foc in 2026?

The good news: on Mallorca you do not have to wait long to see a Nit de Foc. Correfocs are built into the fiestes patronales, the patron saint festivals of individual towns, and take place somewhere on the island almost every weekend from June to September.

The key dates in 2026:

• Sant Joan (23 and 24 June, island-wide): Midsummer night traditionally opens the festival season and brings correfocs to many towns, on the beach or on the village square.
• Felanitx (end of July): the Fiestes de Sant Agustí in Felanitx are considered one of the most impressive correfocs in the east of the island.
• Manacor (August): Manacor celebrates its patron saint festivals with one of the largest colles de dimonis on the island.
• Palma (Festa de la Beata, September): in September Palma hosts one of the best-known processions, often combined with a night-time correfoc.
• Petra, Sineu, Artà: many smaller towns in the interior celebrate their patron saint festivals with a local correfoc.

You can find current dates and programme changes on the official events pages of the Ajuntament de Palma and in the cultural calendar of the Consell de Mallorca. Local festivals are often announced only a few weeks in advance, so it pays to check again shortly before you go.

What happens during a Nit de Foc?

The evening usually starts with drums, as the percussionists of the colla warm up the crowd. Once it gets dark, the dimonis move into the crowd with burning firework forks (forques). The pyrotechnics are not decoration: they throw real sparks onto the people standing nearby. If you are close, you will feel it.

A typical sequence:

1. Procession of the dimonis through the old town or across the festival grounds
2. Fireworks display on the central square
3. Open correfoc: the crowd moves along with the dimonis
4. Closing with a large fireworks display

The fire run itself usually lasts between 30 and 90 minutes. Live music often follows until the early hours. Children take part too, but usually stand a little further back with their parents, where the sparks are thinner.

How to prepare

A correfoc is not a concert where you simply watch. The sparks really do land on your clothes, and they can burn if you are dressed wrong.

What to wear:

• Long trousers made of cotton or another fabric that is hard to ignite
• A long-sleeved shirt or jacket
• Closed shoes, no sandals
• A hood or a scarf for your head
• Cotton gloves if you plan to go right into the crowd

What to avoid:

• Synthetic clothing (polyester melts when sparks hit it)
• Loose, flowing fabrics
• Loose hair near the fire

One more thing: if you wear glasses, use a tight-fitting pair or safety glasses. Cameras and phones can be damaged by drifting sparks, so a protective case is a good idea.

So what exactly is a correfoc on Mallorca? That is the most common question from newcomers. A correfoc is not a professionally cordoned-off show like a municipal fireworks display back home. It happens in the middle of the crowd. Anyone who joins in does so voluntarily and at their own risk. That is precisely what makes it special.

Nit de Foc for residents: why it is worth it

Many expats on Mallorca miss the Nit de Foc in their first few years, either because they do not know what to expect or because nobody told them it was happening. Yet a correfoc is one of the most memorable experiences the island has to offer, comparable to midsummer night on the beach but rawer and more local.

The fire runs in smaller villages away from the tourist resorts are often more authentic and far less crowded than the big city festivals. In places like Petra, Porreres, or Llucmajor half the village joins in, and as a resident you are not looked at as a tourist but welcomed as part of the community.

Correfocs are also a good way into local club life. Some colles de dimonis are open to new members and are happy to take on foreign residents. You can read more about local traditions and their history in our guide to culture and traditions on Mallorca.

If you plan to visit several festivals over the year, take a look at the full overview of public holidays on Mallorca, which lists all the official holidays and the main festival dates through the year.

A closely related tradition is the fiestas patronales, the multi-day town festivals that the Nit de Foc is usually part of. That post also explains how to find out when a village festival is happening near you.

Summary

The Nit de Foc and the correfoc are not a tourist show on Mallorca, they are living tradition. Once you have been to one, you understand why the island moves from weekend to weekend all summer to the sound of drums and a rain of sparks. With the right preparation and a bit of nerve, a fire run is one of the most unforgettable experiences of the Mallorcan year. Keep an eye on the local festival calendars, and if you hear drums somewhere, just follow the sound.