La Mercè is Barcelona’s biggest festival, turning the city into a stage
Every September, Barcelona slows down for La Mercè, a festival held in honor of the city’s patron saint, the Virgin of La Mercè. Much more than just a holiday on the calendar, it is a celebration of the city’s identity, bringing together centuries-old traditions, street arts, music and popular culture to transform neighborhoods, squares and promenades into a vibrant urban stage. In 2025, the event will take place from September 23 to 28, with a program including hundreds of activities for locals and visitors alike.
LA MERCÈ HAS A PROFOUND MEANING FOR THE CITY AND ITS RESIDENTS
La Mercè is simultaneously a ritual, a neighborhood festival and a cultural showcase. For many Barcelona residents, it is the time of year when community life is expressed most strongly, with neighborhood associations, popular culture groups, workshops, musical groups and entire families participating in activities where the public and the intimate intertwine.
It is also an opportunity to reaffirm local identities through language, dance and music, while also opening the city up to contemporary proposals such as urban art, international offerings and theatrical experiments, which coexist alongside traditional elements. The official program combines street initiatives, music cycles and large-scale shows designed to touch the everyday life of the city.
ESSENTIAL TRADITIONS: THE POPULAR HEARTBEAT OF LA MERCÈ
THERE IS ALSO MUSIC, STREET ARTS, AND BIG SHOWS
La Mercè is a “festival of festivals”: it brings together cycles of street arts, musical programming on multiple stages, and contemporary offerings ranging from experimental to popular music. The city schedules more than a hundred concerts across different stages, as well as a variety of daily activities for all audiences, ranging from family sessions to large-scale night-time events.
The grand finale is usually a large fireworks and music show that synchronizes sound, light and visual effects. This is designed to bring thousands of people together for a collective closing ceremony.
GASTRONOMY: FLAVORS FOR THE STREETS AND GATHERINGS
During La Mercè, Barcelona’s streets are filled with stalls, bars, and pop-up menus that draw on Catalan tradition and urban culinary creativity.
People eat in the streets, enjoying tapas, various types of ‘coca’ and other regional pastries, cold cuts and small dishes perfect for snacking as you move between events. Rather than offering exclusive dishes, La Mercè provides a collective gastronomic experience with snacks, local produce markets and offerings designed to complement concerts and outdoor shows.
Traditional pastries also feature: panellets, melindros, carquinyolis and tortells are offered alongside contemporary offerings such as artisanal ice cream, creative pastries and reimagined desserts by young chefs. Food markets offer mountain cheeses, Montseny honey, extra virgin olive oils, Penedès wines and local craft beers — ideal accompaniments to the concerts and shows that enliven the city.
Many neighborhoods also organize their own food fairs where typical dishes such as fricandó, escalivada, suquet de peix and fideuà are served. These dishes are designed to be enjoyed on the go between parades and castellers.
It’s a great time to sample local flavors while sitting on a terrace and watching the world go by. (Practical tip: many stalls accept card payments, but it’s best to bring some cash and be flexible with your schedule).
HOW TO EXPERIENCE LA MERCÈ LIKE A LOCAL
WHY MISS OUT?
La Mercè brings together history, community and a contemporary perspective, offering an excellent insight into how Barcelona combines popular identity and urban creativity. The festival offers travelers the chance to experience the city in a participatory way, joining in the collective spirit by applauding human towers, getting carried away by parades and sharing tapas in squares packed with people.
It’s an opportunity to experience Barcelona at its most vibrant and surprising.
