Th
Concurs Internacional de Focs Artificial
is the most important

fireworks Fireworks are a class of Explosive, low explosive Pyrotechnics, pyrotechnic devices used for aesthetic and entertainment purposes. They are most commonly used in fireworks displays (also called a fireworks show or pyrotechnics), combining a l ...

contest in the Mediterranean area. It is held on the first week of July in

Tarragona Tarragona (, ; Phoenician: ''Tarqon''; la, Tarraco) is a port city located in northeast Spain on the Costa Daurada by the Mediterranean Sea. Founded before the fifth century BC, it is the capital of the Province of Tarragona, and part of Tar ...

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

at Punta del Miracle, a bay praised by the famous architect

Antoni Gaudí Antoni Gaudí i Cornet (; ; 25 June 1852 – 10 June 1926) was a Catalan architect from Spain known as the greatest exponent of Catalan Modernism. Gaudí's works have a highly individualized, ''sui generis'' style. Most are located in Barcel ...

for its beauty. Celebrated since 1321, the festival and is recognized as an event of national touristic interest by Spanish government. Each year the City Council of

elects a board of judges, which then selects the six international pyrotechnic companies that will compete. The order in which the contestants will appear is decided through a draw. The

are both aerial and aquatic. Each show is judged on a number of factors, including: * Occupation of the air space * Purity, intensity, brightness and duration of the colors * Chromatic variety, luminosity, dimensions * Form designs and diversity of effects * Sonority * Harmony with the environment * Originality * Rhythm and the narrative arc of the performance * Acceptance by the public. Since 1990, pyrotechnic companies from around the world have competed at

: Ricardo Caballer, Vicente Caballer, and Turís from

Valencia Valencia ( va, València) is the capital of the Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, Valencia and the Municipalities of Spain, third-most populated municipality in Spain, with 791,413 inhabitants. It is ...

; Pirogestión and Igual from

Catalonia Catalonia (; ca, Catalunya ; Aranese Occitan: ''Catalonha'' ; es, Cataluña ) is an autonomous community of Spain, designated as a ''nationality'' by its Statute of Autonomy. Most of the territory (except the Val d'Aran) lies on the north ...

; Astondoa from

Basque country Basque Country may refer to: * Basque Country (autonomous community), as used in Spain ( es, País Vasco, link=no), also called , an Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Spain (shown in pink on the map) * French Basque Country o ...

; Francesco Pagano, Martarello, La Rosa Lorenzo, and Orzella from Italy; Lidu and China Panda from

China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...

; Marutamaya and Tamaya from

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...

; Gamma P from Germany; and Foti from

Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...

. Approximately sixty thousand people attend each day of the competition, and many pyrotechnicians attend to buy new products. The winning pyrotechnic company is selected to put on fireworks for the city's largest festival,

Santa Tecla Festival The Santa Tecla Festival ( ca, Festes de Santa Tecla, ) is a festival held in Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain. Plunging into the festivities of Santa Tecla of Tarragona unavoidably involves becoming impregnated with fragrances that link the presen ...

, in the fall (typically sometime between the 15th and 24 September).

External resources

Official website of the competition, English and German version

Official website in Spanish, Catalan and English
{{Traditional festivals in Spain Festivals in Catalonia Fireworks competitions Annual events in Spain Summer events in Spain