SEPTEMBER 22 TO 25

festival of barcelona
www.bcn.cat/merce

Modernity, tradition, gunpowder, street theatre, circus, dance, music Just mix them all together, stir, and you have the festive cocktail that is being served up in Barcelona these days. For the city is celebrating the feast of its patron saint, La Merc, a compendium of Mediterranean festivities, authentic Catalan traditions and the talent of artists from all over the world. No one interested in plumbing the very soul of Barcelona and Catalonia can afford to miss this festival, whose special guest this year is the Russian city of Saint Petersburg.

A little bit of history

According to legend, on 24 September 1218, Our Lady of Mercy La Merc appeared before King James I and Saint Peter Nolasco, ordering them to found the Mercedarian Order to free the faithful who were prisoners of the Saracens. This manifestation of the Virgin was made patron saint of Barcelona later when, in 1687, the city overcame a terrible plague of locusts after offering up prayers to Her. Nearly two hundred years later, Pope Pius IX officially recognised La Merc as the citys patron saint and the people of Barcelona began to celebrate Her feast, though the current format of a programme featuring Catalan traditions was not adopted until the late-19th century.

Tradition
Getting the party started
Thursday, sepTember 22 / 7.45 pm Pl. de Sant Jaume Those who want to experience the festival from the very start and, by the by, get a live taste of Barcelona traditional imagery, should come to Plaa de Sant Jaume. There you will find the citys gegants, giants, along with the liga, Vbria, the Bou, the Mulassa... ready to perform their traditional dances, some accompanied by fireworks, to music played by the Ministrils del Cam Ral. This ensemble, which performs only once a year, is formed by some forty musicians, all playing traditional Catalan instruments: the gralla, the tarota, the flabiol the tabal, and so on. Pure tradition.

Festa major matinee

saTurday, sepTember 24 / 8.30 am Pl. de la Merc, Pl. de la Catedral and Pl. Sant Jaume The traditional festivity takes to the squares and narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter. A morning in this quarter during La Merc leads festivalgoers to the very heart of Catalan tradition.

GRALLeR MATiNee
Gralles are traditional instruments in the double reed family played by grallers as they parade around the streets of old Barcelona in the early morning, awakening the cityfolk and inviting them to join in with the celebrations. 10 am

8.30 am

GALeJAdA TRABuCAiRe
Anyone that the grallers have failed to get out of bed will certainly jump to it once the trabucaires begin firing their gunpowder salvoes in the street. These traditional characters are a reminder of the bandoleers who once rendered homage to the patron saint by firing their guns. 11 am

GeGANT MATiNee
A date with Barcelonas tallest citizens and its shortest. On the morning of September 24, Plaa de Sant Jaume is packed, not only to see the gegants dance, but also to greet the capgrossos that accompany them and form an essential part of La Merc. 12 noon

CoMiTivA de AuToRidAdeS
It is pretty much inescapable duty to go and salute the patron saint at some time during the festivities, and to visit Her home, the Basilica of La Merc, in the square of the same name. The city authorities gladly comply with this duty, taking Mass before returning to Plaa de Sant Jaume, accompanied by the festive beasts. On their arrival, the gegants and the liga perform their dances in what is amongst the most solemn moments during the festivity.

Sardanes, castellers and balls de bastons

Sardanes and castells are two well-known ingredients of Catalan popular tradition. However, to see them performed live is always a surprise, particularly in the latter case, in which different colles or groups compete to see who can build the best human tower or pyramid in an absolutely thrilling spectacle.

CASTeLLS dAY
saTurday, sepTember 24 / 12.30 pm Pl. de Sant Jaume When the citys gegants and the liga have performed their dances outside the City Hall, the colles or casteller groups of Barcelona enter Plaa Sant Jaume to give an exhibition. This year, we welcome a new colla, demonstrating that the casteller tradition is more alive than ever in our city.

CASTeLLS dAY WiTH GueST CoLLeS

sunday, sepTember 25 / 12 moon Pl. de Sant Jaume As well as themselves giving an exhibition of their skills to mark the feast of their patron saint, the citys castellers also invite the best colles from all over Catalonia to share in this festive performance. As a result, two top ensembles will perform on Sunday, September 25: the Minyons de Terrassa and the Castellers de Vilafranca.

BASToNeR MATiNee
sunday, sepTember 25 / 11 am Pl. del Rei (11 am) and Pl. de la Merc (1 pm) Two squares in old Barcelona host the great festivity staged by the local groups of bastoners, performing traditional dances that are an essential element in the festivities for La Merc.

SARdANeS
saTurday, sepTember 24 / 19 pm Pl. de la Merc The Colla Sardanista Violetes del Bosc performs sardanes accompanied by the Cobla La Principal del Llobregat.

sunday, sepTember 25 / 11 am Av. de la Catedral The competition for sardana groups has taken place regularly since 1950, bringing together ensembles from Barcelona and guest groups from all over Catalonia. At the end of this years event, the new sardana Bicicleta, cullera, poma will be performed for the first time. sunday, sepTember 25 / 6 pm Pl. de Sant Jaume Sardanes by the Cobla Nova del Valls

La Merc Cavalcade
saTurday, sepTember 24 / 6 pm C. de Gravina, C. de Pelai, Pl. de Catalunya, Rambla, C. de Ferran, Pl. de Sant Jaume, C. de Jaume I, Via Laietana and Pl. de Ramon Berenguer el Gran Characters from traditional and popular Catalan culture take to the streets at a festive event in which the real stars are the citys gegants. These popular giants will be joined by many street art companies to give life and colour to a parade structured into different thematic blocks following a route through the main streets of the city centre.

Popular culture
Dracs, gegants and fire beasts are the stars amongst Barcelonas mythical festive characters. To meet them and other leading characters, the best thing is to attend one of the following events:

BARCeLoNA PARAde
sepTember 17-25, from 10 am To 8.30 pm Palau de la Virreina (Rambla, 99)

eXHiBiTioN oF THe GeGANTS oF BARCeLoNA

sepTember 12-23, from 10 am To 8 pm Pati Manning, Casa de Caritat (C. de Montalegre, 7)

eXHiBiTioN oF dRACS ANd FiRe BeASTS

sepTember 17-23, from 10 am To 8 pm Vestibule, Barcelona City Hall (Pl. de Sant Jaume)

Childrens correfoc
sunday, sepTember 25 / 6.30 pm From C. de Joan Massana to Pl. Antonio Maura, passing through Via Laietana Fire and gunpowder are essential elements in Barcelonas festa major, particularly during the famous Correfoc. Everyone wants to take part in this spectacle, even younger children. So that they can do so without danger, every year a family version of this great festival of fire takes place, using lower-intensity fireworks. This scaled-down version is the best way for young participants to get their first taste of what is an absolutely Mediterranean celebration.

Hells Gate
sunday, sepTember 25 / 8.30 pm Via Laietana /Av. de la Catedrall Where does the Correfoc come from? From Hell itself. Dont believe us? Well, all you need to do is to be there when the fireworks go off outside the great gate that is installed right across Via Laietana. As the last explosion rings out, the gates of the underworld will open. Does it smell of sulphur? No, just the gunpowder that devils, fire beasts and all sorts of evil creatures bring with them, ready to begin their route around the streets of the city centre. But be warned: this year, Hells Gate will be even more spectacular than ever.

Correfoc
sunday, sepTember 25 / 8.30 pm Pl. de Antonio Maura, Via Laietana, Pl. de Antonio Lpez and the Consulat del Mar The beasts from hell have been released and, accompanied by the devils, are ready to bathe the city streets in fire. Although this is an outstanding event on the traditional Merc programme of activities, contrary to what it might seem, this is not an ancestral celebration, but an invention that dates to the restoration of democracy, one that has become popular all over Catalonia and was even seen on the silver screen thanks to Woody Allen. Dragons breathing smoke from their mouths, monsters like Tarasca, the Mulassa and the Vbria, a dragon with a womans breasts a snakes tail; these are just some of the main characters in this awe-inspiring spectacle. Do you dare come and meet them?

Fun without danger

There is not doubt that the Correfoc is a magical event, a spectacle not to be missed, but it should be enjoyed with the maximum precaution so as to avoid accidents. It is up to each individual spectator to decide where they want to see the show and how far they want to be exposed to the fireworks, making a realistic appraisal of the situation. Watching the Correfoc from a prudent distance need take nothing away from our enjoyment of the spectacle. In any case, those taking part should wear clothing their covers their whole body, wear a hat and a neckerchief, as well as comfortable footwear. Better not to wear synthetic materials (cotton is better), shorts or high heeled shoes. And, above all, never pour water over the devils, as wet gunpowder becomes highly unpredictable.

Fireworks
Firework display
friday, sepTember 23 and saTurday, sepTember 24 / 10 pm
Barceloneta beach (Gas jetty) Two firework displays will take place on the beach this year, filling the citys sky with awesome forms and colours. These shows will presented by two companies devoted to creating elegant spectacles of fire and gunpowder, each with its own distinctive style.

LeS ARTiSANS du SPeCTACLe (FRANCe) PiRoTeCNiA vuLCANo (MAdRid)

saTurday, sepTember 24

friday, sepTember 23

Piromusical
sunday, sepTember 25 / 10 pm
Av. de la Reina Maria Cristina This is one of the events that awakens the greatest expectation and draws the biggest crowd, yet it is also one of the saddest moments. For the Merc Piromusical marks the end of celebrations until next year. The fireworks launched from behind the Magic Fountain la Merc light up the sky, perfectly synchronised with music that, this year, will feature some of the best-known songs, tunes that form part of the soundtrack to our lives.

Music
BAM Festival
friday and saTurday, sepTember 23 and 24
Various venues The latest bands to emerge on the indie scene, both in Catalonia and internationally, are showcased at a festival whose goal is to discover new talent and detect new trends. This years programme will feature not only some of the most popular Catalan groups, such as Antnia Font, Guillamino and Cuchillo, but also such outstanding international acts as the French duo Herman Dne, the American acts Aloe Blacc and Man Man and, from the UK, Portico Quartet and Zomby.

Merc Music
friday and saTurday, sepTember 23 and 24
Various venues Dance, pop, rock, jazz, flamenco, world music... All these sounds and more make up the festival soundtrack. Those seeking to revive the spirit of the traditional old festa major marquee should go to Plaa Sant Jaume, where they can dance to such groups as Orquestra Plateria and the Gracia Power rumba ensemble. Those who prefer jazz have a date with the Barcelona Jazz Orquestra and the youthful Sant Andreu Jazz Band in Plaa Catalunya. World music fans should check out fado artists like Cuca Roseta and the fusion of Aziz Sahmaoui in Avinguda de la Catedral. Finally, for rock, pop and electronica, dont miss the live show featuring Sidonie and many other groups and singers at the Frum site.

Street performances
Projections onto the faade of the City Hall
sepTember 22-25
Pl. de Sant Jaume At night, throughout La Merc, the City Hall will become the house of magic for that is when a spectacular show featuring stunning projections will breathe life into the stone of the building, revealing its nocturnal alter ego. In this way, then, light technology joins the party to produce one of the most attractive events on the programme.

The Park of dance and Street Theatre

saTurday and sunday, sepTember 24 and 25
Ciutadella Park One of the most popular parks in the city hosts a full programme of theatre and festive activities for all audiences. With or without the family, festival-goers should not miss a visit to this venue, where they can enjoy a range of performances, from circus acts to variety theatre turns, all with a large dose of humour. The venue will also centre particularly on dance, in all its genres, and will feature, as a special guest, a huge travelling carillon from Douai in France.

The Park of Light

sepTember 22-25
Ciutadella Park At sunset, the park undergoes a radical change of scenery in order to host a series of shows in which light plays a key role. Amongst the most exciting of these events this year is a version of the ballet Swan Lake, which takes place in a waterfall, transformed by projections, and the central lake in the park. Dont miss the dancers many are from Saint Petersburg, our guest city.

The Great Circus at Montjuc

sepTember 24-26
Montjuc Castle Once upon a time, this was a strategic point from which soldiers even bombed the city itself. Today, however, the castle cannon fire only laughter and good cheer, and this is the site of the finest circus acts on the Merc programme, including several artistes from Saint Petersburg, this years guest city, whilst others, testifying to the good health of Catalan circus, are local performers.

The guest city

Saint Petersburg: from Russia with Talent
sepTember 22-25
Montjuc Castle and Ciutadella Park Every year, Barcelona invites a different city from around the world to join in with the festivities in honour of its patron saint and, in doing so, to present its finest artists to Barcelona audiences. This year, we are visited by Saint Petersburg, Russias second city, whose enormous artistic wealth features particularly many outstanding circus and dance performers.

MoNTJuC CASTLe
Visitors to Montjuc Castle will enjoy an excellent taste of the circus talent to be found in Saint Petersburg. Absolutely not to be missed are the performances by Licedei, a theatre company founded by the great Slava Polunin that represents the very essence of that Russian city. The circus programme at the castle venue also includes a superb selection of the finest artistes from Saint Petersburg, including the most outstanding acrobats and tightrope walkers.

CiuTAdeLLA PARk
By day, Victor Savrasovs unusual Tubo Transformer and the traditional folk group Barynya. By night, dance by the Mariinsky Theatre of Saint Petersburg, presenting their version of Swan Lake alongside several Catalan performers. The Russian artist have taken over the park and Barcelona audiences can only applaud this happy invasion.

Festive museums
Anyone interested in visiting some of the citys many museums are informed that admission to a good number of them will be free on September 24, whilst others will also organised activities that day or at other moments during the festivities. These include the following centres: CaixaForum Montjuc Castle CCCB El Far Consortium CosmoCaixa Capitana General Palau de la Merc Mercat de les Flors Antoni Tpies Foundation MACBA MNAC Museum of the History of Barcelona (MUHBA) Music Museum Barbier-Mueller Museum Ceramic Museum Natural Science Museum Museum of the History of Catalonia Mars Museum Joan Antoni Samaranch Olympic and Sport Museum Biomedical Research Park Sagrada Familia

These are just some of the events on the Merc11 programme. Many more activities are listed on the full programme for Barcelonas festa major.

Please note!

Further information:
On Internet. Visit the following websites: www.bcn.cat/merce www.bcn.cat/barcelonacultura www.facebook.com/barcelonacultura By telephone: 010: Barcelona Informaci, 24 hours a day (cost of call: 0.46, plus 0.06 per minute, charged by the second, including VAT) Information adapted for the deaf and hard of hearing: send an SMS to tel. 93 317 14 16. At information offices: Tiquet Rambles, Palau de la Virreina (Rambla, 99), from 10 am to 8.30 pm Information and Tourist Information Offices in Pl. de Sant Jaume and Pl. de Catalunya