La Mercè 2025: Barcelona's big festival (September 23–28)
Barcelona once again celebrates La Mercè with a week packed with tradition, street arts, free music and open doors at cultural venues all over the city. Wednesday the 24th is the big day, but the programme stretches across several days and districts: gegants i capgrossos (giants and big-heads), castells (human towers), correfocs (fire runs), circus and dance from the MAC Festival, concerts by BAM, Música Mercè and Cultura Viva, and the long-awaited closing Pyromusical.
Beyond telling you what to do each day, this article also explains why the festival is celebrated and how it evolved from a religious commemoration into Barcelona’s great city festival.
Why is La Mercè celebrated?
La Mercè honours the Mare de Déu de la Mercè (Our Lady of Mercy), patron saint of Barcelona. Tradition holds that on 24 September 1218 the Virgin appeared to King Jaume I, Saint Peter Nolasco and Saint Raymond of Peñafort, inspiring the foundation of the Order of Mercy, devoted to redeeming captives. That is why the central day of the festival is 24 September.
Centuries later, in 1687, Barcelona was struck by a locust plague. The Council of One Hundred invoked the Virgin’s protection and, once the calamity had passed, proclaimed her patron of the city. Pope Pius IX confirmed the patronage in 1868, and from 1871 the City Council organised the first civic celebration in September. From 1902 onwards, elements of popular culture took centre stage —gegants i capgrossos, castells, sardanes— shaping the festival we know today.
Over time, La Mercè shifted from a mainly religious observance to a major civic festival combining tradition, street arts and music, free and open across all districts. Although Santa Eulàlia retains her historical role as co-patron, La Mercè is Barcelona’s Festa Major and the moment of the year when the city celebrates its identity and talent.
Key dates and guest city
When: Tuesday 23 to Sunday 28 September 2025. Wednesday 24 is La Mercè Day. (Barcelona City website)
Guest city: Manchester, with artistic and musical interventions in several venues. (LOS40)
Wednesday 24 (La Mercè Day): highlights by hour
Tradition and popular culture
08:00–09:00 · Matinades de grallers (early-morning gralla musicians) · Plaça de la Mercè.
08:00–10:30 · Floral offering and galejada by trabucaires (historic blunderbuss bearers) · Plaça de la Mercè.
18:00–21:00 · Cavalcada de la Mercè (festive parade) · around Plaça de Sant Jaume.
21:00–22:30 · Concert by the Federation of Choral Entities (Orfeó de les Corts) · Plaça de Sant Jaume.
21:00–22:00 · Special carillon concert at the Palau de la Generalitat · Plaça de Sant Jaume.
22:00–22:20 · XXVI International Fireworks Festival (Pirotècnia Jordà) · Espigó del Gas (beach). (Barcelona City website)
MAC – Street arts (Estació del Nord selection)
11:00–14:00 · Installations & workshops (Chaos Lab, The Bees, Agència de la Bona Sort);
11:30–13:45 · Theatre & music (El lloc del desig, Komunumo, The Comedy of Errors);
16:45–20:15 · Dance, hip-hop & site-specific (IRMÃ-sister, Born to protest, Umbra, Granotes al cel…, Postablao). Parc de l’Estació del Nord. (Barcelona City website)
Music
11:30–12:30 · Liceu BLAM Collective · Jardins del Dr. Pla i Armengol.
13:00–14:00 · Taller de Músics XXL Collective · Jardins del Dr. Pla i Armengol.
17:00–22:00 · Catalunya Freestyle (rap) · Plaça de Catalunya.
20:00–22:00 · Centenary of El Pescaílla (rumba/flamenco) · Avinguda de la Catedral.
20:45–22:00 · Orquestra Simfònica Vozes + La Maria · Plaça Major de Nou Barris. (Barcelona City website)
Open doors and “Més Mercè” (selection)
Museu Picasso (9:00–20:00), MNAC (free admission all week for women named Mercè), MACBA, Maritime Museum, El Born CCM (themed guided tours), Palau Güell, Hivernacle, Historic Botanical Garden, Aquàrium, Sant Pau Art Nouveau Site (morning slot), among others. Check time slots and capacity. (Barcelona City website)
Rest of the week: highlights
Tuesday 23 (opening)
Sona 9 concerts in Plaça de Catalunya in the afternoon and Municipal Band in Nou Barris. Open doors and book fairs. (Barcelona City website)
Thursday 25
Àliga (ceremonial eagle) night-time outing at Plaça de Sant Jaume; museums and cultural centres continue with open doors. (Barcelona City website)
Friday 26
“Fire Garden” installation (Parc de la Trinitat), parade and gathering of fire beasts from El Born, and evening concerts on Avinguda de la Catedral (e.g., Chloe Slater; Queralt Lahoz & Werkha). (Barcelona City website)
Saturday 27
A big day for tradition: MercèDansa (Cathedral), Tabalada (drumming parade) and, at dusk, Children’s Correfoc and Correfoc on Passeig de Gràcia. (Barcelona City website)
Sunday 28 (closing)
Large-format concerts on Avinguda Maria Cristina and the final Pyromusical (this year with the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc back in the water-light-fire show). Closing performance by Estopa. (Cadena Dial)
Major stages and artists (selection)
Música Mercè / BAM / Cultura Viva spread more than a hundred concerts across Plaça Catalunya, Avinguda de la Catedral, Bogatell/beach venues, Moll de la Fusta, Maria Cristina, Grec, Nou Barris, Doctor Pla i Armengol, and more. Artists include Rigoberta Bandini, Pussy Riot, Maria Arnal, Suu, The Tyets, Figa Flawas, Doctor Prats, plus Manchester acts (Children of Zeus, Space Afrika, Honeyfeet, Mister Wilson’s Second Liners) and tributes such as El Pescaílla. Check day-by-day schedules. (El País)
Practical tips
Check the official programme daily (with maps and filters by neighbourhood, time and type). (Barcelona City website)
Pyromusical and big concerts: arrive early and follow the indicated access routes. (Cadena Dial)
Families: prioritise MAC (Parc de l’Estació del Nord and others), the Children’s Correfoc and museums with kids’ activities. (Barcelona City website)
Full programme and updates
The official programme is updated in real time (new additions, time or venue changes). Before heading out, check each activity’s exact day, time and location.