The major festivities in Potries are dedicated to Santa Rita, the Mare de Déu del Carme, the Divina Pastora, the Mare de Déu del Pilar and the Santíssim Crist de l’Agonia. They are traditional celebrations, with religious events, music, gunpowder and fun, where all the people get together and participate, with a strong involvement from the Confraries (confraternities that organise activities) and the festers and festeres (young men and women leading the activities).
Every year the festivities begin with the Festa de Santa Rita, patron saint of pensioners and the elderly. There is a parade led by the town’s music band around the streets of the town, carrying Santa Rita from the pensioners centre down to the parish church, where a Mass is held in her honour.
At night, the traditional Festa de la Baixà is celebrated, with a parade through the streets to collect the festers and festeres at their homes, and then go up to the chapel, accompanied by the municipal authorities and the music band. Once in the chapel, the images of the Santíssim Crist de l’Agonia and the Divina Pastora are shouldered down to the church, in the Processó de la Baixada (Descent Procession).
The Festa de la Mare de Déu del Carme is deeply rooted in Potries, and the confrares organise activities throughout the day. In the morning, after the traditional despertà (wake-up call), there is a popular brunch. Then is held the traditional parade through the streets, ending at the church, where a solemn Mass sung by the Choir of Potries is celebrated in honour of the Verge del Carme. After that, the confrares and all those who want to join them hold a fraternity lunch. At sunset, the confrares come together to parade around the streets and then hold a solemn procession in honour of the Verge del Carme.
The Festa de la Divina Pastora is organised by the young women (festeres) of the town. The traditional despertà is held at dawn, and then the popular brunch. At noon there is a parade through the streets to the parish church, where a solemn Mass sung by the Choir of Potries is celebrated in honour of the Divina Pastora. In the afternoon there is a great costume parade for all the people. At the end of the day, the festeres are collected by the festers in a parade to the church, where the solemn procession in honour of the Divina Pastora begins.
The Festa de la Mare de Déu del Pilar is organised by the young men (festers) of the town. It begins with the despertà, and then a popular brunch. At noon there is a parade through the streets to the parish church, where a solemn Mass sung by the Choir of Potries is celebrated in honour of the Mare de Déu del Pilar. After that they hold a fraternity lunch for all neighbours. In the evening, the festers are collected by the festeres in a parade to the church, where a solemn procession in honour of the Mare de Déu del Pilar is held.
The day of the Festa del Crist de l’Agonia starts with the traditional despertà early in the morning. At noon, the municipal authorities hold a parade accompanied by the town’s music band, the AAM Sant Blai de Potries. In the afternoon there is a parade through the streets to collect all the festers and festeres and take them to the church, accompanied by the Municipal Authorities and the Potries Band. In the church, a solemn Mass sung by the Choir of Potries is celebrated in honour of the Santíssim Crist de l’Agonia. Afterwards, they all go in solemn procession shouldering the Santíssim Crist de l’Agonia and the Divina Pastora images up to the chapel.
In all these festivities we will find lots of gunpowder (despertà, mascletà, fireworks…) and, of course, music, where the AAM Sant Blai de Potries has a central role, but there are also dolçaines i tabals, the typical festival bands or the modern outdoor discos at night.
