(English) La Mercè, Barcelona’s biggest fiesta

You wait and you wait, but they always come along eventually. Yes, between 21^th and 24^th September, Barcelona will put on its very best party outfit to celebrate yet another year of the traditional La Mercè festival. After a summer packed with exciting activities and plenty of neighbourhood festivals, Barcelona is preparing to honour its patron with an intensive cultural and events programme. This year, the festival dates are being brought forward slightly, with the final events taking place on 24^th September to coincide with another big day for the city, the Day of the Virgen de la Mare de Déu de la Mercè (Our Lady of Mercy). Since 1871, Barcelona City Hall has curated its festival programme to coincide with this special date and, as time has gone on, the event has become a real focal point in the city’s calendar, not just for residents of Barcelona, but also for the hundreds and hundreds of people who come from afar to enjoy the celebrations.

As a result, good humour will certainly be on the agenda as things get underway, kicking off several days that are sure to combine tradition with the most modern of spectacles. As for the first few days of events, Barcelona’s local citizens and visitors will be able to enjoy some spectacular human towers created by the most daring performers; dizzying correfocs groups – who combine dance and fireworks displays – as well as the Calvalcada de la Mercè and their gigantic floats that delight young and old alike. Furthermore, sardana dancers will take to the floor with their 65^th performance of a show that is typical of these flamboyant Spanish fiestas. These are just a few examples of the most deeply-rooted of Barcelona’s traditions, which are still firmly intact and proudly reflect a fundamental part of the city’s personality.

Events can all be felt intensely on the city’s streets, where most of the festive programme takes place. For another year running, some of Barcelona’s most recognisable places will be transformed into enormous stages to host various music, dance and circus events. This is all part of the Mercè Arts de Carrer Festival, which gets bigger and better with each passing year, innovating and changing to keep surprising their audiences. The Barcelona Acció Musical group will also take to the streets, an opportunity to enjoy a range of fantastic concerts, including the likes of Delorean, María del Mar Bonet, Tony Allen and Macaco, among plenty of other big names. One of the most impressive stages this year is sure to be at Bogatell Beach, where you’ll be able to hear wonderful music overlooking the Mediterranean in the most idyllic setting you could possibly imagine.

But there will be lots more for visitors to see and do, such as a visit to Plaza de Cataluña, which will bring together some 300 different groups from across the city, or perhaps you could take an enjoyable swim through the Port of Barcelona, or even enjoy the amazing fireworks display combining fire, music and water, which will close the programme of events at Avenida María Cristina on 24^th September. In total there will be seven action-packed days that will add a huge splash of colour to the Barcelona skyline, offering plenty of amazing events to everyone in the city. At the HCC hotel chain, you’ll find full information on all the events that make up the La Mercè celebrations, Barcelona’s biggest and boldest fiesta of the year.

Categories: barcelona