Once again, Barcelona is decked out in its finest to welcome the La Mercè festivities. As ever, the streets turn into an explosion of music, street arts and traditional culture. You will find a programme with shows and activities to experience our festa major, or main annual festival, to the fullest. There is a Mercè for everyone, for young and old and for all tastes.
This year, our opening speaker and poster engage us with children’s perspectives in a special way: the illustrator Carme Solé Vendrell, an artist who conveys truth and social commitment through her works, and a poster based on a short film that captures the spirit of the festival through the eyes of a child seeing and experiencing La Mercè for the first time.
The guest city is Casablanca, which shares La Mercè’s values of coexistence, respect and diversity, values that make Barcelona an example the world over. We celebrate the fact we are both Mediterranean, cosmopolitan and welcoming cities, as well as neighbours that like getting together and having a good time with culture.
We start the new academic year celebrating Barcelona and our traditions, with an avant-garde and innovative spirit. La Mercè is a festival for everyone, enthusiastically expressing our collective effort and determination and our eagerness to share and enjoy the city.
Long live La Mercè!
Long live Barcelona!
Jaume Collboni Cuadrado
Mayor of Barcelona
