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Towards the end of September Barcelona begins to limber up for
the largest event on its festival calendar, La Mercé, a
celebration of the city’s patron saint “Mare de Deu
de la Mercé”. The festival heralds the end of summer
and the onset of the autumn months. The festival is a real big
deal for the people of Barcelona and the still temperate weather
means that, in true Mediterranean fashion, must of the fun takes
place outside. There’s a massive amount to do whilst the
festival is on with events popping up all over the city and over
3000 artists and performers on display with over 500 activities
to watch or take part in. The festival has a long and proud and
first took place in 1902; today it’s a fantastic blend of
tradition and innovation.
You’d really need to write a novel to keep on top of everything
that goes on at La Mercé each year so, we’ll just
have to settle for some highlights. We start with one of the oldest
traditions; the human towers or “Castells” are a real
must-see, sometimes as much as ten stories high they’re a
fantastic display of teamwork, agility and balance.
A recurring theme throughout the festival is the celebration
of fire and one of the most exhilarating experiences of La Mercé is
the “Correfoc” (the “Fire Run”) where costumed
fire-breathing devils rampage around the streets in a colourful
pyrotechnic display. Kids absolutely love this sort of thing and
audience participation is a big part as the devils chase after
those foolish enough to get in their way. Another favourite of
the children is the “Dragons and Giants” procession
which starts in the Plaza Real next to Las Ramblas.
Foodies and wine lovers shouldn’t feel left out either
as there is no shortage of indulgence in those areas. Food and
wine shows run throughout the festival showcasing local produce
and allow you to try and buy the best that Catalonia has to offer.
Festivities aren’t just kept on the ground either, La Mercé also
celebrates the sky with static hot air balloon flights, kite displays
and other aerial exhibitions taking place throughout the festival
on the city’s beaches. Other areas around the city to look
out for are the Centro de Cultura Contemperanea de Barcelona where
you can view street theatre, Moll de la Fusta which will be giving
centre stage to numerous circus acts and Plaza St Rei where various
dance troupes and performing artists will be vying for your attention.
There’s also a museum open day where many of the city’s
museums and galleries can be entered free of charge including the
Picasso museum, the Museum of History of Catalonia, the Maritime
Museum and many more.
The culmination of the festivities is called “Piromusica”l – the
finale involves music and a huge fireworks display choreographed
together for an amazing audio-visual experience. A big named music
star is usually brought in to play the finale and 2005 saw local
singer and composer Pep Sala having the honour of closing out La
Mercé.
For tourists La Mercé offers a perfect opportunity to
see Barcelona at its best – it’s a colourful, vibrant
spectacle which offers something for all age groups and all tastes.
It also offers visitors the perfect opportunity to see more of
this wonderful city. |
