La Mercè 2024

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Barcelona is once again celebrating its grand festival in honor of its patron saint. A program chock-full of activities is planned for all, with music, dance, circus acts, street arts and don't forget the traditional gegants (giants), dragons, fire beasts, human towers and sardana dancing groups! 

La Mercè is also a festival of street arts with the MAC festival, Mercè Street Arts, a showcase of new creations, and a meeting place for many artists, both from the city and overseas. 

Music will fill the streets once again with the BAM music festival, showcasing emerging music from the Catalan, Spanish and international music scenes with shows at four different locations in Barcelona: Moll de la Fusta, Rambla del Raval, Plaça Reial and the Antiga Fàbrica Estrella Damm.

And of course, Música Mercè will entertain with dance music and experimental music from established artists and emerging talent. Offerings from our shores and beyond, from Chile to Israel, Angola, Colombia, Argentina, Puerto Rico, Mexico, Cuba, Brazil and Ukraine. 

Casablanca Is the Guest City for La Mercè 2024

Through the language of music, art and dance, Barcelona celebrates Casablanca as its guest city at the festa major. Every year since 2007, artists from a guest city have been invited to take part in the festival to share their culture and talent. It is one of Barcelona's ways of showing its ties and sharing projects with major metropolises around the world. This year you’ll see artists from Morocco and many Moroccan artists who live in Barcelona, who will share their culture (from the most traditional to the most modern) with Barcelona residents—circus, dance, street arts, music, visual arts and audiovisual arts are represented in the programming.

What to Do for La Mercè

Celebrated in the days surrounding September 24th, the La Mercè festival program is packed with things to do and see. From parades and exhibits filled with gegants (giants), capgrossos (bigheads) and fire-breathing beasts to giant castells (human towers), traditional dances, correfocs (fire runs), drone light shows, fireworks displays and free concerts, you're sure to find something to delight and amaze you.

But if all the festivities of La Mercè get to be a bit too much, why not take a culture break? Many of the city’s museums observe the holiday with a jornada de portes obertes (open doors). To make the most of your time, take a look at our interactive map with all the locations that are throwing open their doors for free: Map of Barcelona Museums with Free Entry for La Mercè.

See our Guide to La Mercè for a list of the festival's events and discover the story behind one of the biggest celebrations on Barcelona's calendar and the many traditions that make this beloved Catalan holiday so special.

For more events during the Festes de la Mercè check our online events calendar.