La Merçe 2011

Well, it's that time of the year again. It just seems like a little while back we were enjoying the summer festivals of Gracia, and squeezing the very last drops of summer out before the routine starts again, when the big one sneaks up on you without you quite realising it. Yep, it's nearly time for La Merçe.

This year looks to be fairly short in terms of the actual days that the festival runs, as the 24th is actually the Saturday. For those of you not in the know, the 24th is the actual feast day of Our Lady of Mercy - one of the patron saints of Barcelona, and the whole reason for La Merçe festival. Other years the festival has been spread over 4 or 5 days (and more) but this year it's squeezed into the 22nd - 25th September.

I've blogged before about the several activities to do with kids in La Merçe and some of those are equally as fun for adults, too. The weather looks like it's going to stay fine so download your programme here and get planning!! Like every year, there are over 500 different activities going on all over the city, as well as the Mas i Mas Music festival and BAM, too. Street performers, traditional ceremonies, fire attractions and the festa del cel on the 2nd October again tie it all in before the autumn arrives.

As usual, there'll be a circus big top up in the gardens of Montjuic, with plenty to see looking at the promotional video on the site, with special guests from St. Petersburg this year.

The evening events are mainly musical apart from the typcial correfoc (fire-run) and are a great showcase for newer bands to get an audience through Barcelona Accio Musical (BAM mentioned above) as well as the Mas i Mas pulling in the big guns like Mando Diao at the Old Damm factory on Rossello. Over the years I've just wandered around the old town mainly from Plaça Reial to Plaça Catalunya or Plaça Angels just seeing who seems decent depending on my mood! Never been let down yet!!

So, are you planning to go to La Merce this year? Anything in particular you're looking forward to? Let me know in the comments!! And if you're coming to Barcelona this autumn, check out these barcelona apartments as a great alternative to a hotel.