To enhance and add sentimentality to Barcelona's celebration of the Mercè festivities in 1902, the first gegants competition was announced.
A clarification was immediately added that was very appreciated: not only gegants, but also almost everything else, that is, dwarves, dragons, eagles and the various accompaniment, which was synonymous with etcetera. So, everyone pleased and without exclusions.
Representatives from Lérida, Sitges, La Bisbal, Igualada, Manresa, Berga, Tàrrega and Badalona will appear in this competition. For the first competition, it was not bad.
It is worth noting that one of the three people who made up the jury was Josep Puig i Cadafalch. The architect was recognized due to his status as a councilor linked to the Lliga de Francesc Cambó. He had proclaimed, as soon as he joined the municipal council, his desire to promote the festival of La Mercè not only as the patron saint of Barcelona, but to immediately convert it into a true Festa Major of the entire Catalonia.
The concentration point for all the participants was the Galeria de Màquines de la Ciutadella, one of the buildings pardoned from the Universal Exhibition of 1888. The park appeared flooded with people eager to have a good time. The little music of the companions in the parade of registered participants contributed to increasing the tone of the merriment. The crowd and participants paraded towards the Plaza de Sant Jaume, which could not accommodate so many people.
The first prize was awarded to Patum de Berga: a gold medal and a thousand pesetas. There were awards for everyone, although smaller.
Barcelona's ancient gegantera tradition had suffered unfavorable periods.
Like the ban ordered by Charles III to participate in processions, which remained in force from 1771 until the Captain General, Duke of Lancaster abolished it in 1798. Its reappearance inspired that little tune that it evoked: el gegant de la ciutat balla pel terrat. He could not refer to the simple roof: he was referring to that of the Rambla, so called because it is a prominent section due to its elevation framed by a balustrade.
The ban was repeated during the Napoleonic occupation, in which the street was subject to rigorous control.
