The cucanya is a popular game that consists of crawling over, or walking across, a greasy or soapy beam without falling off, to get the prize at the other end. Most cucanyes are upright poles that are not kept from one festival to the next. But not this one in Plaça Nova, which dates from 1884 and is unusual: it is a horizontal beam and the oldest example of one of these cucanyes left in Catalonia.  

As it is horizontal, it turns on an axis and it is very difficult to keep your balance on it. Crawling across it to reach the goal or moving along by hanging upside down is almost impossible, even though there are ropes from end to hold your hands and feet.

The first reference we have of this game is from 1884, although the one kept at the Casa dels Entremesos today is from 1903. Originally it was part of a series of sortija (ring) games that were very popular in the 19th century. The cucanya can be seen every year at the Plaça Nova Sant Roc festival around 16 August. Every festival afternoon, the bravest children can climb up and try to get the prize.