Dancing devils at the opening ceremony of Mercè, photo by Laura Guerrero courtesy of Ajuntament de Barcelona (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0).
Barcelona takes on a new life towards the end of the month, when its streets and plazas are awash with festivities in celebration of the city’s patron saint. According to legend, Our Lady of Mercy (La Mercè) protected the city from a plague of locusts in 1687, and an annual festival has been held in her honor ever since. This year La Mercè celebrations will be held September 22-25, 2023.
1. Run For It!
This year marks the 43rd anniversary of the Cursa de la Mercè, one of the most popular running events in the city. Inscription is only €5 and all proceeds are donated to NGOs. This year held on September 17, the race offers several categories so everyone can participate according to their abilities and age. Also part of the event is La Mercè 2K Inclusive Bimbo Global Race; this adapted category is aimed at people over the age of 14 with intellectual disabilities or reduced mobility. New this year is La Mercè Bimbo Global Youth Race, targeted at at people born between 2007 and 2011 who want to take part in one of the most emblematic races in the city.
2. Tradition Reigns
Festivities kick off with giants and dragons in Plaça Sant Jaume on the 22nd, and for the following days the city is filled with fire-breathing dragons, capgrossos (big heads), esbarts (traditional dance groups), bastoners (stick dancers), trabucaires (ancient armed bandits) and gegants (giants). You’ll come across all these colorful characters and more in parades that take place throughout the city. The central parade, la calvacada de la Mercè (Sep 24) is a spectacle for the whole family. Effigies of kings, queens and other courtly figures spin and dance through the streets, towering above the crowds. Measuring up to four meters high, the gegants parade is a sight not to be missed. Then, you can set your sights even higher as the castellers build their dizzyingly tall human towers up to 10 levels high!
3. New Grooves
With over 25 years in the game, Barcelona Acció Musical (BAM) is an integral part of Barcelona’s La Mercè celebrations. BAM adds a unique range of music to the mix, exploring new and imaginative sounds, bringing together the best independent local and Spanish talent, as well as a few quality international acts. But that’s not all for music; running alongside BAM is another series of free concerts taking place on public stages around the city and spanning a range of different genres. Jazz, soul and funk take center stage at Plaça Reial, with other venues such as Moll de la Fusta, Rambla del Raval, Teatre Grec, Jardins de Pla i Armengol, Fabra i Coats, Plaça dels Àngels, Plaça del Rei, Plaça de Sant Jaume, Arc de Triomf and Antiga Fàbrica Damm hosting live performances as well.
4. Open Doors
If the festivities of La Mercè get to be a bit too much and you feel like taking a culture break, head to one one of the city’s many museums observing the holiday with a jornada de portes obertes (open doors). Museums and sites with free entry on September 24th include: MNAC, MACBA, Museu del Disseny, CCCB, Fundació Antoni Tàpies, Museu de Ciències Naturals, Museu d’Història de Catalunya, Castell de Montjuïc, Palau Güell, Palau de la Generalitat, the Ajuntament and many more. Check out our interactive map for the details on locations and times. If your little ones get restless, the festival offers theater workshops, storytelling sessions, children’s concerts and many other family activities in Parc de la Ciutadella.
5. Night Lights
Though a relatively new tradition, the correfoc has become emblematic of the festivities and is one of its most popular events with as many as 70,000 people in attendance. Devils, dragons and other bestiari de foc (fire beasts) run through the streets spewing sparks and flames in spectacular fashion. If you want to keep your distance from the fire, you might prefer to take in one of the light projection shows offered every night on City Hall’s façade at Plaça de Sant Jaume, or spread a blanket on the beach for the fireworks show near the near the end of the celebrations. On the final day of festivities you can view the grand finale fireworks display while music plays and the fountains dance at Montjuïc.
The full program of activities of La Mercè will be released about two weeks before it starts so keep checking the calendar in the run up to the event. barcelona.cat/lamerce/en
Updated September 7, 2023.