Solsona celebrates the 2024 Carnival
Solsona has welcomed the 2024 Carnival with a great party. The triumphal entry of the Carnival took place at 8 pm this Thursday. With a dress inspired by a Scottish knight and accompanied by four ladies, the Carnival arrived in Solsona to the rhythm of the bagpipes of Mike Oldfield’s theme ‘Tatoo’. The city was packed, with great anticipation to see the protagonist of the night.
A spectacular welcome
The Carnestoltes received a warm welcome with a traca and a castle of fireworks. Accompanied by Marc Torra’s group of colleagues and friends, the Carnestoltes paraded through a packed Solsona bridge. The entourage of the crazy giants and the Patinfanjas orchestra accompanied the procession to the sound of the Bufi along Carrer Sant Miquel.
Reception in the Main Square
In the Plaça Major, the Carnestoltes de Solsona was welcomed by the usual speakers, Elis Colell, Esther Espluga and Pere Obiols. They presented the protagonist of the night with special excitement, highlighting his passion for Carnival and his involvement in the party. Marc Torra Baraldés is a true carnival man, with a long family tradition in this party. His mother and his aunt sewed the first costumes of the Contradanses, and his father was the conductor of the Carnestoltes in 1973. His uncle, Uncle Rossendo, was already a carnivalero of the Republic and formed part of the legendary Samarruga de Baix Orchestra.
A life dedicated to Carnival
Marc Torra joined the Carnival Board in 1998 and held the position of secretary for a long period. During this time, he demonstrated his passion and commitment to the party. A curious anecdote is when he prevented the entry of the Dogs group to the party because he thought they were some ‘furries’ who wanted to sneak in without paying. Marc was also Heir of the Carnival testament in 2015. In addition to Carnival, Marc has other hobbies such as pyrotechnics, giants and Dragons.
A message of thanks
During the reception in the Plaza Mayor, Marc Torra thanked his troupe and his family for their support and dedication to the Carnival. He emphasized that Carnival is a way of life for him and that he gets excited when he talks about it. He sent a reminder to all Carnival lovers and wished them to enjoy this unique festival intensely.
Delivery of the key to the city
To end the event, last year’s Carnestoltes, Gemma Casals, handed over the key to the city to the 2024 Carnivals, Marc Torra. This gave way to the Mut Ball, which marked the beginning of the evening’s festivities.