Barcelona will celebrate La Mercè from 23 to 27 September. The piromusical moves to Bogatell, while free concerts and museum access extend across all ten districts.
Barcelona will move La Mercè’s traditional piromusical to Bogatell beach this year because of construction work around Fira de Montjuïc. The show will take place on Sunday 27 September at 22:00, combining fireworks with music selected by Josep Montero of Oques Grasses. The venue change is the most visible adjustment in a five-day programme covering all ten districts. El Confidencial, El Periódico, Time Out Barcelona and betevé have independently confirmed the relocation and date.
The 2026 festival will run from Wednesday 23 to Sunday 27 September, with nearly 500 activities in streets, parks and squares. The programme includes free concerts, castells, giants, correfocs, parades and events for children and families. Plaça de les Glòries will join the list of venues on 24 September with activities designed specifically for family audiences.
The fireworks will be launched from the espigó del Bogatell, while Nova Icària is also expected to offer one of the best viewing areas.
The Bogatell setting gives the closing spectacle a distinctly coastal frame. Visitors planning around Mediterranean conditions can also consult an earlier weather report. Josep Montero’s musical selection will accompany the fireworks in a setup adapted to the Barcelona waterfront.
Music Mercè BAM and Acció Cultura Viva will bring more than one hundred performances to stages across the city. The announced artists include Nacho Vegas, Els Amics de les Arts, Els Catarres, Maria Jaume, Svetlana, Sexenni, Buhos and La Pegatina. Entry to every concert will be free, although some venues may restrict access once they reach capacity. El Periódico also reports that Bogatell will host other large concerts during the festival, including performances by Miki Núñez, Buhos and Sexenni.
Access will also matter at the festival’s open-door activities. Museums, historic buildings and cultural facilities will follow different arrangements: some will accept visitors freely, while others will require advance booking or registration.
El Periódico describes the 2026 programme as including 109 concerts, 55 cultural performances and 180 street shows across 32 venues. The figures underline the scale of a festival that reaches all ten districts while concentrating major crowds around the Bogatell and Nova Icària waterfront area.
The Sagrada Família will distribute 20.000 free tickets for visits on 24, 25, 26 and 27 September. The invitations will be assigned through a draw and will cover the basilica’s interior, the museum, and the Nativity and Passion façades. According to Que.es, registration for the draw remains open until 20 September. Visitors will need to check each venue’s timetable, ticket availability and entry procedure before travelling.
Popular culture will keep the festival tied to its traditional calendar. The Toc d’Inici on 23 September will open the celebrations, followed by the parade and one of the casteller events on 24 September. The children’s correfoc and the city’s main correfoc will take place on Saturday 26 September alongside giants, bigheads, traditional dances, festive beasts and street processions. A new Porta de l’Infern will serve as the symbolic entrance for the devil groups and fire beasts.
La Mercè 2026 combines free performances across the city with cultural visits, including a draw for Sagrada Família tickets. Moving the piromusical to Bogatell shifts the festival’s most recognisable night event to the coast because of the work around Montjuïc. Visitors should plan around capacity limits and reservations rather than assume every activity offers unrestricted entry. With nearly 500 events across all ten districts, the programme places its main emphasis on scale and public access.
