Barcelona has published the programme for La Mercè 2026 and confirmed a major change: the Piromusical featuring fireworks and music will take place this year on the beach at Bogatell instead. The city says the move is due to construction work around Plaça d'Espanya and Montjuïc, where the closing show has traditionally been staged.
The Festes de la Mercè will be held from 23 to 27 September 2026; the local public holiday falls on 24 September. According to the Ajuntament de Barcelona and the Institut de Cultura de Barcelona around 500 free events are planned across all city districts. The official festival poster was designed by the artist Cinta Vidal; it will serve as the visual motif for programme guides and the campaign.
The core programme retains its established formats: Cultura Popular and Mercè Arts de Carrer, featuring street theatre, parades and figures from Catalan folk culture, as well as several major open-air concerts. The guest city is Shanghai ; performances and collaborations will showcase cultural exchange between Barcelona and Shanghai as part of the festival.
The city is reorganising logistics for the relocated closing show. Bogatell offers broad beach and waterfront areas from which to watch the Piromusical. The plans also include live broadcasts in collaboration with local media. As in previous years, the city will publish safety and transport plans shortly before the event, detailing restricted zones, additional public transport services and access routes.
The campaign will be made available to the public through the distribution of printed programme guides and posters at municipal facilities, as well as procurement contracts for graphic adaptations and communications support. The relevant tenders are documented on the city's procurement portals.
Moving the Piromusical to Bogatell is the most visible consequence of construction work around Plaça d'Espanya and Montjuïc. In terms of content, La Mercè 2026 focuses on continuity: tradition, street arts and free concerts will shape the days around 24 September. The new element is Shanghai's role as guest city, adding a focus to the music and performance programme. Details of individual stages, times and performers will be updated regularly in the city's programme listings.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).