Know Where to Go During the Week of La Mercé!

Qué hacer por la Mercè 2025: las mejores actividades de cada día

 Welcome Back, Everyone!

As I discussed in my previous blog post, the historic La Mercè Festival is happening this week from the 24th to the 28th. Over four days, 16 stages will be set up across seven different neighborhoods, offering 242 shows, including concerts, dance performances, circus acts, and many displays of traditional Catalonian culture. All shows are free! We now have the program, including what will be taking place during this time, and where to find it. I will offer some tips on understanding the program, as well as including the SAI team's recommendations.

Here is the link to the website, which I will be referencing:https://www.barcelona.cat/lamerce/ca/programa


     When you first open the La Mercé Website, it gives you the option to view the events by each individual day. There are different amounts of events each day with a variety of options. Checking the program day by day is a good way to create a schedule for what you would like to see on certain days to be prepared.

     You may notice that Manchester is a constant on almost every day's schedule, and this is because it is the guest city this year. This means that Manchester-based artists will be at the festival to help celebrate Barcelona. They decided Manchester would be the perfect city this year since Manchester and Barcelona are both so committed to culture.

 
   

    Another way that Manuel recommends is pressing on "Main Venues" (Espais Principales) at the top of the page, and this allows you to view all events happening in a specific area. For example, if you would rather spend all day at the Bogatell Beach or stay seated at the Teatre Grec, you have the option to and will know what to expect. Another idea could be to visit a different location or even multiple locations each day to view a variety of shows and get the full experience.


Sandrine's Recommendation and Tips

"The Mercè is with no doubt my favourite dates in Barcelona!

During La Mercè 2025, there are a variety of themes and activities. My favourite is "Mercè Arts de Carrer" (Mercè Art in the Streets), which includes circus, dance, theatre, puppetry, installations, and itinerant performances.

I usually like to focus my Mercè experience around two venues. This year I chose Parc del Forùm and Estació del Nord.

Parc del Fòrum (it normally takes place in Montjuic, but it is in Obrà this year). This venue will host many circus shows. I was particularly drawn to:

  • The Genesis by Copenhagen Collective, 
  • Wild by Motionhouse, and,
  • Vent de l’Ouest by Les P’tits Bras 

Estació del Nord At Estació del Nord, I especially enjoy contemporary dance proposals. This year, I saw many performances coming from Manchester, the guest city of La Mercè. The Mercè is also a great opportunity to discover international companies! I was particularly drawn by:

  • The Company Chamaeleon (Contemporary Dance). They have two different shows, 
  • Cia. Laia Satanach (Jarana Site Specific) from Catalunya
  • Joseph Toonga. Born to Protest. (Hiphop from Manchester)
  • Family Catwalk Extravaganza. A dance Vogue show  
  • Mr. Wilson's second Liners (Itinerary musica band)

Remember: It is always better to arrive a little bit earlier to have better seats!"

Elena's Recommendation and Tips


     "You can't miss the Correfoc! It literally means "fire run," and it lives up to its name! You can watch it from afar or you can join it - but if you do, make sure you wear a hoodie! All of the devils and the fire beasts join together for this fiery march down Passeig de Grácia, it's nothing like you've ever seen, and you can only see it in Catalunya!

      It's on Saturday, the 27th, at 8:30 pm, starting on Passeig de Gràcia! It will probably start getting good at around 9 pm!"

Manuel's Recommendation and Tips

     "I wanted to share the main activity at the former Damm Factory during La Mercè 2026 on September 27th. This historic building, once the heart of one of Barcelona’s most iconic breweries, has been transformed into its main offices, but sometimes it becomes a vibrant cultural venue. Its industrial charm, open spaces, and unique architecture make it a perfect location for events that bring together music, culture, and good vibes.

      On that day, the factory will host a series of fusion and electronic music concerts featuring artists from around the world. It promises to be a lively and memorable experience for anyone interested in music, culture, and the unique atmosphere of Barcelona."


Here is the program specifically for that venue, so you can check each artist and the schedule.

Antiga Fàbrica Estrella Damm | La Mercè 2025 | Ajuntament de Barcelona


Rose's Recommendation

     "Rigoberta Bandini is a pop artist from Barcelona who has very fun, upbeat, creative music. When I first moved to Spain, I walked around the city listening to her music nonstop. Go check her out at Platja del Bogatell on Friday night!"


Have fun and see you next week!












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