Barcelona La Merce Festival 2009

La Merce Program Of Events In English:

The link below is for the official La Merce program in English Language provided with permission by the Institut de Cultura de Barcelona.

Click here for the official program of events for La Merce 2009 in English Language (pdf format)

La Merce Barcelona - Catalan Dancing.

Every year close to the end of September Barcelona holds its largest street party, the Barcelona La Merce Festival.

This year, 2009 the festival is on from the 23rd to the 27th of September. There will be hundreds of events on all over the city.

This page will give you the low-down on what is probably the highlight of Barcelona’s festival calendar.

Official Websites for the 2009 La Merce Festival (Catalan only)

Click here for the full overview of La Merce 2009 with the official website

Parades in the Streets of Barcelona during La Merce

Merce Festival History

Barcelona La Merce lasts for around 5 days and is a festival held in honour of Mare de Deu de la Merce, the Patron Saint of Barcelona.

The festival, which officially first took place in 1902, bids goodbye to the summer with a bang and welcomes in the cooler months of autumn.

This year 2009 there will be hundreds of different activities taking place in the city.

Leave your car!

The streets will be filled with events, parades, fire runs (Correfoc)- and people! So it's highly advisable that you don't consider hiring a car if you intend to use it in the city centre during the time of the festival.

Barcelona La Merce Highlights

Correfoc - Barcelona fire run

Correfoc - Fire Run

Main Event: 26th September 2009
Time: 20.30 to 22.30
Location: Porta Cambó, av. Francesc Cambó, pl. Antoni Maura, Via Laietana, pl. Antoni López i Consolat del Mar
Entrance: Free

Official website - (Catalan only)

The " Junior" correfoc is in the same location along Via Laietana starting at 18.30 on 26th September 2009.

Fire-breathing dragon at the Correfoc fire run on Via Laietana.

If you are going to experience the Correfoc it is highly advisable to take protective clothing because often powerful sparkler fireworks are sprayed into the crowds. People should bring hats, protective glasses and thick long sleeved tops that will protect you from the flying sparklers.

There is normally 2 types of Correfoc on the same evening. One of them is for the children and is a lot more tame than the "adult" Correfoc which happens later on in the evening

The Correfoc event takes place at dusk. Normally along and around Via Laietana. The road will be closed off and then opens to "The Devils" . The

Barcelona Correfoc - you can see the dragon spraying flames into the crowds

Devils are special community groups that dress up like devils and parade the streets during certain festivals in Barcelona. La Merce Festival is one such festival. The devils run up the streets with bangers and hand held fireworks. Lots of bangs and fire is the order of the day. Fire breathing dragons (or at least sparkler-breathing dragons) also roam the streets with Devils skipping along with spiralling fireworks held in their hands.

The crowd receive a shower of sparkler flames at the Correfoc Barcelona La Merce festival

The "adult" Correfoc takes place after the "junior" Correfoc. The main difference with the adult event is that the crowds are actually sprayed with flames from the sparklers - you can see this in the picture to the left and in the picture below. If you are of a nervous disposition then maybe you should consider standing well back from the Correfoc itself.

Castellers Human towers

Castellers - Human Towers

Date: 24th and 27th September 2009
Time: 12.30 (24th) 12.00pm (27th)
Entrance: Free
Location: Pl Sant Jaume.

This event is one of the highlights of the Merce festival and normally takes place in Placa de Jaume. Thousands of people will pack out the square so it is worth arriving early. The aim of the Castellers is to build a human tower and have a young child climb to the very top of the tower and stand up. It requires a tremendous amount of planning and teamwork to build a human tower and it is quite an amazing sight to see. Click here for more information on the Castellers in Barcelona

Gigantes (Giants Parade)

Date: 24th September 2009
Time: 11:00am
Entrance: Free
Location: Placa St Jaume

see the following page at the official Merce website

The Giants parade is a very popular event for the whole family. Huge giants with effigies of kings, queens and nobles march through the streets of Barcelona. These huge figures tower above the crowds and spin around and around so the crowds can see them in all their glory. The Parade is often accompanied by small percussion groups that beat out a rhythm on drums as the Giants go by.

The Gigantes - the giants parade is popular with the kids.	Giants Parade in Barcelona

The Barcelona La Merce festival will have something for everyone, music, street performances, drama in thousands of venues across the city. Join in the fun with Barcelona's biggest party of the year.

Related pages

Printable English Language Program For La Merce 2009

La Merce photo gallery

Barcelona Public Holidays

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