La Mercè 2026: Five Days of Family Fun in Barcelona

The annual La Mercè festival, Barcelona’s major city-wide celebration, will take place from Wednesday 23 to Sunday 27 September 2026. Organised by the Ajuntament de Barcelona (city council), the festival features a packed schedule of cultural events designed for all ages, with numerous activities tailored specifically for children and families. Residents and visitors can expect street performances, traditional Catalan celebrations, free museum access for children, and spectacular evening shows including drone displays and fireworks.

Key Family-Friendly Highlights by Day

Wednesday 23 September The festival officially begins today. While no specific children’s events are scheduled for the opening day, the city will be alive with anticipation ahead of the full programme. Thursday 24 September The day kicks off with the traditional matinades de grallers (pipe bands) at 8:00 in Plaça de la Mercè, followed by a procession from Plaça de Sant Jaume to Plaça de la Mercè at 10:00. At 10:30, families can watch the planting and display of the city’s traditional balls de gegants (giant puppet dances) in Plaça de Sant Jaume. A children’s castell (human tower) demonstration, the diada castellera de la Mercè, will take place at 13:00 in Plaça de Sant Jaume and will be broadcast live on Betevé. The evening includes the Mercè parade starting at 18:00 from Plaça de Catalunya and ending in Plaça de Sant Jaume at 19:00. Friday 25 September At 21:00, the plantada de dracs i bèsties de foc (lighting of fire-breathing dragons and mythical creatures) will take place at Museu d’Història de Barcelona – El Born, followed by a parade through the Born district. The International Fireworks Festival begins at 22:00 on the Gas jetty beach. Saturday 26 September Children’s activities include a correfoc infantil (children’s fire-run) at 18:00 along Passeig de Gràcia, designed to be safe and interactive for younger participants. Earlier in the day, the musical family show Girafes en ruta will tour Plaça Comas in Les Corts at 11:00 and 18:00. The evening features the ceptrotada spectacle at 20:30, including the premiere of a new porta de l’infern (gate of hell) segment and the main correfoc de la Mercè, followed by fireworks at 22:00 on the Gas jetty beach. Sunday 27 September The festival concludes with the cercavila dels Falcons at 10:30 in Plaça Nova near the Cathedral, followed by the matí dels Falcons at 11:00 in Plaça de Sant Jaume. A final Girafes en ruta performance will take place at Plaça de Sarrià at 18:00. At 20:30, the Toc a plegar procession begins from Plaça de Sant Jaume, arriving at Palau de la Virreina at 22:00. The festivities officially end with a traditional contradance of the Barcelona Giants, symbolising the closure of the festival, alongside the Piromusical fireworks show on Nova Icària beach.

Special Exhibitions and Free Access

Several exhibitions of traditional festival figures are open in the days leading up to and during the festival:

  • Giant puppets (Gegants): On display from 13 to 22 September at the City Hall courtyard and, as a new venue this year, at the Crown of Aragon Archive (Palau del Lloctinent), 10:00–19:00.
  • Festival imagery: At Palau de la Virreina from 11 to 23 and 25 to 27 September, including figures like the Àliga, Drac, and Víbria. Open Monday to Friday 9:00–21:00, weekends 10:00–21:00.
  • Dragons and mythical beasts: On view at Museu d’Història – El Born from 8 to 26 September (closed Mondays), 10:00–20:00.
  • Singular giants and restored figures: Special exhibits from 15 to 27 September at El Born, showcasing unique Catalan giants and the restored 120-year-old ‘old giants’ of Plaça Nova.

Additionally, the Barcelona Zoo and Tibidabo Amusement Park will offer free entry for children during the festival. The Mercè Arts de Carrer (MAC) programme also features street performances across multiple stages in the city.

How to Plan Your Visit

The full programme, including daily schedules, maps, and accessibility information, is available in PDF format via the official Ajuntament de Barcelona website. Families are advised to arrive early for popular events, especially the correfoc infantil and fireworks displays, and to check transport updates as some roads will be closed during parades. For real-time updates and live streams of key events such as the castells and Toc a plegar, viewers can tune in to Betevé.

Reported by Betevé.