La Merce

With a festival in honor of one of its patrons, La Mercè, whose day is the 24 of September, although the celebrations take place during a few more days, before and after the date. It is a big party with many free activities for all ages and that take place throughout the city. Among the most popular are the parades of "giants" and "cabezudos" constructions elaborated in papier maché and representing both historical characters and fantastic beasts, the spreading of an Empordà dance that was gaining popularity throughout Catalonia: the sardana, exhibitions of castellers ("Human towers") in front of the City Hall, and the correfoc, which literally means "run fire" and where demons act with pyrotechnics dancing with protected members of the public, under a shower of sparks. There are also concerts, audio-visual performances of the popular marathon, especially popular being the "Piromusical" (Great Fireworks Castle coordinated with the Montjuïc Luminous Fountains that exploit in a synchronized way with the chosen music), and contributions of a invited city, while The Parc de la Ciutadella is home to numerous events such as theater and dance performances. At night, the pyrotechnic musical fills the Barcelona sky with fireworks, making all of this an important date in the city's calendar.