In Spanish-speaking cultures, a verbena is an agricultural show, modest amusement park, or dance party, especially one held at night.
Nowadays, some major cities, such as Barcelona, host "permanent" verbenas (revetlla in Catalan); however, these have a less traditional character than those that appear for only a few days each year.
A large contemporary verbena features mechanical amusement rides, sideshow attractions, and usually some sort of gambling.
[1][2] When the musicians take a break, a runner carrying fireworks (toro de fuego) may dash into the crowd.
[3] One of the most famous zarzuela (Spanish operetta) pieces in the género chico ("smaller genre") is La Verbena de la Paloma ("The Fair of the Dove"), set at a verbena on the night of the Virgin of the Paloma, August 14;[4] it was also made into a 1963 movie.