Click here for a PDF file of the highlights and biggest events of La Merce last year in 2007.

Barcelona's biggest annual festival celebrates La Mercè, the Patron Saint of Barcelona, who according to legend did a good job in removing a tiresome plague of locusts that once visited the city.  They never came back so she is still protecting us!

To honour her La Mercè festival has over 500 big and small activities, parades, concerts, firework displays, air shows, a 10km run and lots more events happening through out the city of Barcelona from the Friday 19th September until 24th September, the latter being a public holiday.

The activities are fall into 4 main areas:

The Festival of Music
Concerts in the streets and parks all over Barcelona, including the BAM music festival
Click here for more information about street and park shows
Click here to visit the BAM music festival website 




The Festival of Tradition
Castellers competitions (human towers), capgrossos and gegant parades (dwarves with big heads and giants) and an entire menagerie of festive animals, accompanied by guests from Mediterranean countries.
Click here for more information about the 2007 Festival of Tradition

The Festival in the Sky - Festa al Cel
The biggest event of the the Air festival is the acrobatic airshow featuring jets, balloons and gliders and more. This event is actually at the weekend after the Merce and takes place on Sunday 30th September at the Parc del Forum at 09.00 to 14.00
Click here for more information about the 2007 Festival in the Sky 


The Festival of Fire
All types of sparks, from the pyrotechnical fireworks and music show to the correfoc (literally a fire-run).
Click here for information about the 2007 Correfoc
Click here for information about the 2007 fireworks

Food and wine tasting festivals

There are several smaller festivals that are part of the Merce festival. In 2007 a popular one is the "25a Mostra de Vins i Caves de Catalunya" - which is wine tasting from the Catalan vineyards. It took place on the Moll de la Fusta, which is the waterfront quay that runs parallel to the Passeig de Colon. 

IN 2007 the wine tasting joined forces for the first time with the "20a Mostra de Cuina barcelonina" which is a food tasting festival. A perfect match!

Among other popular festivals during the Merce is the street book fair, Fira del Llibre, which starts during the Merce until around 7th October. It can be found on the streets of Passeig de Gracia from Plaza Catalunya to Arago. Lots of bargains to be found!

And last but definately not least we must mention the Festival Solar which takes place in the Parc de la Ciutadella. The purpose is to raise awareness of environmental issues and renewable energy.  Visit them at http://www.festivalsolar.org/

Visit the official website for more information and calendar of events:
(usually online 1 week prior to event)

http://www.bcn.cat/merce