Barcelona’s largest festival takes place every year in September and accommodates anywhere from 1,500,000 to 2,000,000 visitors from around the globe. La Mercè is filled with art, music, and Spanish history. With over 50 events each day, 200 years of history, and a wide variety of events there is surely something that everyone can enjoy. Explore the neighborhoods of Barcelona, which put on special events to show off their uniqueness. This year, the festival runs from Friday September 22nd, to Monday September 25th.
Activities of La Mercé Festival
The festival is divided into two subsections, concerts for everyone, and popular & majority. The popular majority includes, fire runs, Merce Castellers (building human towers), fireworks, a 10km run, parades, circus events, sports events, food, and wine, what more could you want from a Spanish festival? The weekend is full of things to do, so be sure to plan out the events you want to attend.
Guest Cities of La Mercé Festival
Every year there is a “Guest City” which has the chance to showcase some of their culture in the heart of Barcelona. Last year the guest city was Lisbon, Portugal and for 2019 the guest city will be Beirut, Lebanon.
Many city museums will be offering free admission during this weekend, so be sure to check out some of the amazing exhibits around the city. Some of the best museums in Barcelona are the Museu Picasso, Fundacio Joan Miro, Macba, Museu d’Art Contemporani, Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, and Fundació Mapfre.
La Mercé Festival for Children
There are plenty of children's events as well, including a constantly steaming projected light show using mapping technology on the facade of the Barcelona city hall in Plaça St Jaume. The city also hosts workshops, storytelling, children's concerts and much more.
The City of Barcelona puts on this event to celebrate culture and history, they give everyone the opportunity to enjoy Catalonia tradition. Perhaps the best part of this festival is that everything is free, so don’t be wary of booking a trip in September, the city is still very much alive.