Every year in the end of September, Barcelona is prepared to celebrate its Major Party and commemorates the festivity of Mare de Déu de la Mercè, mistress of the city. This is a religious and popular party that gathers activities, among which we emphasize the popular "correfuegos" (fireworks), castellers, sardanas and the traditional piromusical.

Barcelona's Major feast is full of cultural traditions. As in most cities and villages of Catalonia, the party has an origin of religious type. The day of the mistress of Barcelona is the 24th September, festivity that takes place since the end of last century.
Papa Pio IX declared Mare de Déu de la Mercè Patrona of the bishopric of Barcelona in the year 1868, and the bishop Jaume Català crowned solemnly its image to the cathedral in 1888. The image of La Mercè is joined to the historical record of the foundation of the Order Mercedario for the rescue of the captives, inspired, according to the tradition to San Pedro Nolasc, San Ramon of Peñafort and the king Jaime. It is necessary to emphasize that, according to the tradition, Mare de Déu de la Mercè set free Barcelona from a plague of lobsters and in gratitude she was nominated mistress of the city in 1637. The worship to the Mare de Déu de la Mercè spread, during the Middle Ages, over the Mediterranean sea and nowadays it has spread over Hispanic and American lands.

Nowadays, the mistress of Barcelona is object of great popular worship. An idea of its civic importance is that when Catalan sport teams win championships they go to sing and to thank La Mercè.

To celebrate these dates, the city prepares every year festive acts that join the festive and popular nature with the religious one, without forgetting the multiple samples of Catalan tradition that we can also see.

The fire, symbol of Mediterranean celebrations, is present in this party. This way, we find the traditional "correfuego" (type of fireworks) where stand out the figures of dragons and devils. Another one of the classics in Merce's party is el Piromusical. As grand finale, el Piromusical or spectacle of fireworks takes place in Montjuïc's fountains illuminating Barcelona's sky with the most current music that comes from all five continents.

The music is also protagonist of the whole party, and the squares and streets are filled with orchestras and concerts to dance. The majority begin on the 21st until the 24th September and are performed in different open spaces of the city such as Plaça Catalunya, Pl. Sant Jaume, Pl. de la Catedral, Pl. del Rei and Port Vell. This year the programme includes concerts of Ana Belén, Manu Chao, La Oreja de Van Gogh, Tam Tam Go and la Fundación Toni Manero and Pep Sala, among others.

" Barcelona Arts de Carrer " is also consolidating as a fixed spectacle. It was an idea born last year to fill the city with theatre. This festival of the scenic arts transforms the street into a stage and this year will promote a prize for the best artist and will put special attention on the emergent creations of the actual Barcelona.

Although Barcelona is a party everyday, La Mercè is undoubtedly its most special one; the feast that makes that citizens and visitors participate in it. Live the city's party!!