The Colla
Much more than a devils’ colla
Devils, drummers, jugglers, shepherds, monks and lots of kids: 30 years of fire in Esparreguera, run by our assembly and open to anyone who wants to lend a hand (and a head).
Who we are
We are a non-profit cultural association born in the spring of 1996, when a group of young people wanted a fire run for the town. Today there are devils, drummers, jugglers, shepherds, monks and a children’s colla, the Polls Folls.
Everything we do is made with and for the people of Esparreguera: we want Catalan folk culture to belong to everyone and the town to live its festivals out in the street.
We are run by an assembly: the important decisions are made by all of us, with as much consensus as possible, and the committees share out the work of the town festival and the rest of the year’s events.
History
Our origins
From a group of friends who wanted a fire run to a colla of 200 people with hens, a rooster, a giant and big-heads.
Spring 1996
A fire run for the town
A group of young people from the town want to organise Esparreguera’s fire run. The first year all the effort goes into raising money for the equipment: costumes, powder store, drums… The first fire runs are possible thanks to the Diablots d’Olesa, who lend us part of theirs.
12 July 1997
Our own costumes and our first fire run
We wear the costumes designed by local tailor David Roig for the first time and organise our first fire run at the town festival.
The early years
Much more than fire
Treasure hunts, junk-cart races, bar crawls, concerts, carnivals… mostly for young people. And always a bit against the grain of traditional colles: that’s where the Ensierru comes from, a flock of fire-breathing hens chasing people through the streets.
Today
All under one story: the Llagastada
We are about 200 members between the adults’ and the children’s colla. On the second weekend of July, for the town festival, all our events tell one story together: the Llagastada.
The whole story, year by year
From the Dissabte Foll to the Sant Llagasta Olympic Games: the colla’s full timeline.
The colla in numbers
- 200members
- 30years of fire
- 12Llagastadas
- +30events every year
- 25characters of our own
Devils
The devils are the heart of the fire run: cotton costumes, a fire club in hand and lit firecrackers, they lead the fire through the streets of Esparreguera at both town festivals and on the colla’s outings.
Behind every lighting there is the whole fire group: lighters, handlers and the powder store, all with accredited fire training. If you want to burn with us, write to us and we’ll tell you how to start.
Drummers
No drums, no fire run: the drummers set the rhythm of every fire outing of the colla, from the Llagastada to Llagasta’s Night.
There are adult drummers and Polls Folls drummers. If you’d like to play with the colla, write to us.
Fire juggling
The colla’s newest group, born in 2025. Fire breathers, fans, torches, chains and hoops of fire drawing in the dark.
Since 2026 they have been led by Ígnia, the woman of fire. They perform at Llagasta’s Night, the Llagastada and the shows we do elsewhere. Want them at your festival?
The Polls Folls
The Polls Folls are the children’s colla. They were born in May 2017 to bring devil dances, fire festivals and fire runs to all the girls and boys who want to take part. They are the natural path to the adults’ colla.
They have their own board, which looks after the training, organisation and representation of the members under 18 and acts as a bridge with the colla’s board.
To join you need: a mother, father or guardian present at every performance, to take the fire group training course (children’s CRE), to sign the activity and image rights authorisation, and individual insurance on top of the colla’s.
Polls Folls
Fire, fire, fire: the legend of the Polls Folls
The children’s colla explain, in their own way, where fire comes from.
El vídeo és de YouTube (mode sense galetes). En reproduir-lo, el vostre navegador s'hi connectarà i li enviarà la vostra adreça IP. Obre-ho a YouTube · Més informació
Theatre
The Llagastada is fire, but it is also theatre. The big-heads of Mayor Albert, Father Moisès and Officer Pol, the Nunci and the Rabassaire Ramona tell the legend in the street, and on Saturday Llagasta’s arrival is staged as theatre before the fire run.
For the 2020 town festival, El Galliner Produccions brought the characters to the screen: the trailer for La Ramona, Els secrets del Txumerri and an interview with Mayor Albert.
El Galliner Produccions
La Ramona, the trailer
Town festival 2020.
El vídeo és de YouTube (mode sense galetes). En reproduir-lo, el vostre navegador s'hi connectarà i li enviarà la vostra adreça IP. Obre-ho a YouTube · Més informació
How we work
An assembly, a board and lots of people
The assembly
It is the sovereign body: it meets at least once a year, decides the important things and elects the board for three years.
The board
President, vice-president, secretary, treasurer and members. It coordinates the work of the committees.
The committees
They share out the work of the town festival and the rest of the year’s events.
The fire group
Devils, lighters, handlers and the powder store, all with accredited fire training.
Ciscu Batilles and rookies
The young people organise the most festive events, like the bar crawl or the electronic vermouths. And whoever joins is a rookie in their first year: their first fire run is with a godfather or godmother.
Five colles, one old slaughterhouse
We are part of La Fede, the Federació d’Entitats de Cultura Popular i Tradicional Catalana d’Esparreguera, together with the Colla Bastonera Montserratí, the Castellers d’Esparreguera, the Colla Gegantera d’Esparreguera and the Gitanes Montserratines.
La Fede organises the Santa Eulàlia bonfire, the parades of both town festivals, the children’s parade and La Fede’s own festival in May. The presidency rotates every three years: from 2025 to 2027 it is held by the Diables.
All the colles share the Antic Escorxador, the old slaughterhouse the town council lends to La Fede: that’s where we keep the beasts, the fire clubs, the costumes and the drums.
Colla de Diables d’Esparreguera
Colla Bastonera Montserratí
Castellers d’Esparreguera
Colla Gegantera d’Esparreguera
Gitanes Montserratines
Presidents and boards
Who has led the colla
The colla’s boards since 1995, from the most recent to the first.
2025-2027
Adrià Tejedor
- President
- Vice-presidentMariona Boladeras
- SecretaryÀlex Ollé
- TreasurerDani Revelles
- Board membersClàudia Pérez, Maria Martín, Aniol Sancho, Xavier Pardo, Marc Carcassona, Berta Rius and David Casino
2022-2024
Pilu Fernández
- President
- Vice-presidentÀlex Ollé
- SecretaryLaura Pons
- TreasurerDani Revelles
- Board membersAdrià Tejedor, David Casino, Ernest Blázquez, Jordi Pinyol, Toni Bolaño and Joan Castells
2019-2021
Berta Esteve
- President
- Vice-presidentDenis Ileri
- SecretaryEloi Yerpes
- TreasurerAdrià Tejedor
- Board membersLaura Pons, Uxia Campo and Robert Gobern
2016-2018
Oriol Martínez
- President
- Vice-presidentPol Alcázar
- SecretaryMarc Tejedor
- TreasurerJosep Jané
- Board memberToni León
2013-2015
Marc Tejedor
- President
- Vice-presidentJaume París
- SecretarySheila Millán
- TreasurerJosep Jané
- Board membersLaia Ortí and Laura Falguera
2010-2012
Roser París
- Chair of the steering committee
- SecretaryAina Casanovas
- TreasurerDenis Ileri
2007-2009
Txema, Pol Alcázar, Jordi Ros i Toni León
2006
Beren, Jordi Ros i Pol Alcázar
2003-2005
Toni Bolaño, Jordi Ros, Toni León, Ferran Visa, Cabul, Ingrid Roche i Pol Alcázar
2002-2003
Jordi Ortiz
1995-2002
Jaume París
- President
- BoardÒscar Navarro, Roser París, Juanjo Montañés, César Bermúdez, Jordi Ortiz, Antoni Bolaño, Juan José Cumplido, Berenguer Gastón and Jordi Matas
Polls Folls
The children’s colla boards
2025-2027
David Casino
- Head of the children’s colla
- Board membersBibi Carrión, Laia Gotsems, Txell Junyent, Ivan Hernando, Sandra Sánchez, Laura Hurtado, Jordi Masdefiol, Ernest Blázquez and Gisela Serrano
2022-2024
Ernest Blázquez i David Casino
Heads of the children’s colla
2020-2022
Laura Pons
- Head of the children’s colla
- Board membersPilu Fernández, Jordi Pinyol, Dani Revelles, Ernest Blázquez and David Casino
2017-2019
Laura Pons
- Head of the children’s colla
- Board membersPilu Fernández, Sara Rey, Pili Giménez, Jordi Pinyol, Dani Revelles and Toni Bolaño
The colla’s documents
The statutes approved by the assembly and the authorisation to join the Polls Folls (in Catalan).
Autorització per a la colla infantil (Polls Folls)
PDF · 53 KB
Autorització de l’activitat i dels drets d’imatge, per a les famílies dels Polls Folls.
Estatuts de la Colla de Diables d’Esparreguera
PDF · 291 KB
Estatuts generals aprovats per l’assemblea.
Do you want to join the colla?
There’s room in the fire, the drums, the juggling, the beasts and the organisation. Write to us and we’ll tell you how to start.