It started off just like any other fireworks show at la Mercè. Thousands of people huddled together on a large street, bumping arms, with street vendors walking around selling single beers. We watched in awe as in the distance fourth of July like fireworks lite up the sky and closed it’s distance to where we stood.

Screams and laughs started filling the crowds as overhead we watched a constant stream of fireworks and sparklers fly into the air.

I froze momentarily. Is that really what I think it is?

As the sparklers continued to approach one by one people screamed and either ran around the block or onto the sidewalk, escaping the street.  I looked across the street from me at a mother and a toddler in a stroller. “Surely” I thought “They are not throwing fireworks into the crowd with babies.”

As the lights approached I started to panic among the laughing and drunk Catalonians.

Where was I to go? Even the toddler had more courage than me. He sat in his stroller smiling as his mother as they stood there watching fire spew from handheld fireworks approaching our direction.

I refocused on the light approaching me as giddy revelers awaited the almost certain burn. People before me all had hoodies or hats. I touched my naked hair.

“I am so unprepared” I thought. “What the hell had I sign up for?”

The fireworks approached and the crowd broke out in screams. I stood there bravely anticipating the certainty of my doom. At a glance, I looked over to the spot where the woman and child had stood. They were gone. A crowd had surrounded us. It was too late for me to follow.

I felt the hot embers of fireworks burning my arms and singeing my uncovered hair. A small hole was visible in my flammable top. Holy shit. This was the run with fire. 

I took immediate action. I bought three beers from a brave soul walking through the fire. Went to the store close by to us. Bought a scarf to cover my hair and then returned. This was too good to miss and too good not to risk a little burn.

The week of La Mercè 

Barcelona is no stranger to nightlife. It is universally known for it’s beautiful beaches and gothic streets lined with bars and nightclubs to fit everyone’s taste and style, be you old or young at heart.

However, once a year, during a four day celebration of the Patron saint of Barcelona — la Virgen de la Merced — Barcelona transforms into a sea of fire for the La Mercè  celebrations.

By happenstance we ended up in Barcelona during it’s four day celebration that also coincided with massive protests for demanding a vote for Catalonian independence and heavy handed police arrests and crackdowns of the vote organizers and supporters. It was an interesting and historic time to visit.

Most people we met were furious about the government’s response and they expressed a similar thought: “It feels like Spain 40 years ago” — which is an eerie ode to Spain’s merciless dictator Franco.

Nevertheless, while tensions were thick in the air the celebration of  La Mercè brought a temporary calm to Barcelona.  In fact it felt like street protests had altogether stopped just for this massive four day party and instead silent protests were done by incorporating Catalonian independence paraphernalia into the celebration.

Below is a picture of a dragon during the “Walk of Dragons and Firebeast” during the Inaugural entourage that officially kicks off the four days of celebrations. Tied around it’s waist is the protest symbol for Catalonian independence where a person has red tape across their mouth with the words “democracia” below to represent the silencing of the people through a  refusal to allow for a referendum on Catalonian independence.

But back to La Mercè. 

The Fiestas de la Merced or La Mercè (in Catalan) is the biggest festival in Barcelona with an official history that dates back to 1902 when impulsively Francesc Cambó held a celebration in honor of Barcelona’s Virgin of the Mercè. While the festival itself had many ups and downs throughout Barcelona’s history the restoration of democracy in Spain saw the festival flourish. In 1980 it was declared a festival of national tourist interests.¹ Since then La Mercè has been faithfully held in Barcelona around the 24th of September.

Events take place all day and most are suitable for all ages. We downloaded the La Merçe app (link to app here) to plan our days out. During the day time families can entertain all members with museum trips, parades, food trucks, acrobatics, dances, choirs, workshops for all ages, and films. The night is filled with parades, fireworks, and concerts suitable for a variety of ages. One could spend all night and day going to activities and never get bored.

By far the three most popular events are Correfoc, Parade of dragons and fire beasts, and the Giant dancers. They all take place after 7:00pm (19:00) and involve lights and fire in one way or another. We opted to see all three.

The Parade of Dragons and Fire Beasts and the Giant Dancers took place on the same day. The Parade lasts about two hours and is complete with drums, fire breathing dragons, monsters, and devils. We arrived about 30 minutes early and sat down on the sidewalk. It was the perfect time to arrive because the parade route filled up fairly quickly with families all vying for space.

There were plenty of music, dancing, and dragons and it was perfect for all ages. After the parade we walked to the Parc de la Ciutadella where we saw the Giant dancers. For me, the giant dancers were my favorite for the day.

The next day we drove to Dalí Theater-Museum in Figueras, Spain before heading back to experience the Correrfoc, or the run with fire. This is perhaps the main tourist attraction as it is literally a run with fire. There’s an understanding that the practice of running with fire was first recorded in the 1200’s but it’s hard to say where the origins of the practice truly date. But this run is by far the highlight of the entire festival. For families, there’s no age rating. But again, this involves fire, which must be respected at all costs. And yes, it can hurt.

Before deciding to attended (which you must do if you are in Barcelona during this time) there are a few things I wish I would have known that I want to share with you:

1. You don’t need to get there early. It’s really not necessary. The entire thing lasts for hours and you can show up on time, a bit late, or early and you will not miss much besides the fireworks at the beginning. And it’s Spain — everything is late so enjoy going at your own pace.
2. Bring a hood or non-flammable hat. There are actual fireworks that will be thrown into the audience from a hand held contraption that looks like a sparkler. This can and will burn. So wear a non-flammable hat over your head to protect your hair or a hoodie. It’s a hot night out there but you do not want to nurse your burnt hair back to health in the morning. We all work hard to be beautiful and bringing a hoodie will help keep you that way. Also, my hair smelled like smoke for a few days after this event and I imagine a hoodie would have saved me from this.
3. Don’t wear your favorite shirt. We all want to be cute but this is not the event for that. I made the mistake of wearing my FAVORITE shirt to this event because I did not really understand that I would be under fire for hours. Unfortunately the fireworks burnt holes in my shirt and I had to throw it away the next day. Don’t make your favorite shirt a victim to fireworks. Wear a hoodie.
4. Expect to be totally caught up in the excitement. We had “plans” to go to the pier after the run with fire but it was impossible to leave. Not because there was no way out but it’s a magical event. You are in a  crowd full of people getting fireworks thrown on them over and over again and it’s like magic. This is truly an astonishing event that should not be missed. Go with your adventurous friends and family and have fun.

Below. My friend Samet and I run under fireworks as we are chased by “devils”

One Additional thing to know about Barcelona during La Mercè:

La Mercè is full of fun and adventure but that also means there’s a lot of opportunity for misinformation. By the looks of the festival one would think Barcelona has a very liberal attitude towards alcohol but the truth is far different.

• Alcohol: It is illegal to drink on the streets in Barcelona. Everywhere you walk guys will offer to sell you single cans of beers and you will see lots of people buy them and drink them on the street. That will lead you to think “Oh cool, Barcelona has liberal drinking laws.” No, Drinking on the street is illegal in Barcelona and in many major cities in Spain and it carries a heavy fine. Rules are usually relaxed during festival times but still, if you get caught, you may have to pay a hefty fine. In that regard, drink at your own risk.