Parade of Dwarfs and Giants—La Mercè 2025

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El Nan Macer waves hello to a mom and toddler, photo by Mariona Gil courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).

After the opening ceremony on the 23rd, when the party lasts late into the night, the giants retire to spend the night in Barcelona’s City Hall and rest for the dance display they perform in on the patron saint’s day. You’ll see them in a two-part activity. The first is when the giants head to the streets to be displayed; that’s the start of the Giants’ Morning, during which you can see all the giants and lesser figures dancing in the square, each one dancing their own dance. At 11:45, the second part of the festival begins: a procession of dwarves and giants wandering through the streets and squares until they reach Mercat de Santa Caterina. Walk along the route with them!

This parade is a big celebration of popular culture, featuring the most majestic and fun figures, and of course the dwarfs, the most notable of them being Cu-cut de la Plaça Nova, a country character wearing a hat who gets away with all sorts of mischief and has his own dance, inspired by Mozart's The Magic Flute. However, he has a rival when it comes to winning the children’s affection: the General Lagarto dwarf figure, a French general accompanied by the Barceloneta cannon, which fires sweets instead of shells!

You'll also see the Manolito dwarf from the neighborhood of Sant Just, the Poble-sec dwarf figures—the chimney-sweep Aquilino, seamstress Palmira and the girl Mariví—and the unique figures from La Pedrera are just a few of the dwarf figures who will be dancing along the parade.

What to Do for La Mercè

Celebrated in the days surrounding September 24th, the La Mercè festival program is packed with things to do and see. From parades and exhibits filled with gegants (giants), capgrossos (bigheads) and fire-breathing beasts to giant castells (human towers), traditional dances, correfocs (fire runs), drone light shows, fireworks displays and free concerts, you're sure to find something to delight and amaze you.

But if all the festivities of La Mercè get to be a bit too much, why not take a culture break? Many of the city’s museums observe the holiday with a jornada de portes obertes (open doors). To make the most of your time, take a look at our interactive map with all the locations that are throwing open their doors for free: Map of Barcelona Museums with Free Entry for La Mercè.

See our Guide to La Mercè for a list of the festival's events and discover the story behind one of the biggest celebrations on Barcelona's calendar and the many traditions that make this beloved Catalan holiday so special.

For more events during the Festes de la Mercè check our online events calendar.