Cultural Activity

La Mercè 

The festival of La Mercè is one of the best representations of Catalan culture.  It was very evident of the sense of pride the people of Barcelona received from attending the festival. Many people could be heard singing tradition Catalan songs while the Catalan flag waved above them or draped over their back. It was something that I had never experienced before. I do not know of a festival in the United States that takes over the whole city and so many people come to experience. Xavier Trias said it best, “La Mercè is more than a festival: it is a journey that begins in our past and leads us towards a tomorrow shaped by the talents, capabilities and efforts of an entire people.” 

This year from the 21^st to the 24^th of September, there were non-stop cultural activities to take part in. I was lucky enough to experience some of theses events. I saw the concert Oriol Tramvia at Plaza Cataluyna and then went to La Sagrada Familia to see the multimedia shows. It was the first time I had seen this building and I was amazed by the details. You could stare for hours trying to figure out what everything was. During the light show, La Sagrada Familia seemed to come alive. It was like I was watching a 3D movie and also you could feel in music shake your body.The area was packed with people but nobody seemed to move a muscle during the show. 

I had the pleasure of seeing the Castells. There were so many people packed in the square to witness it. The three I saw went flawlessly. Everybody was silent while they were climbing but when the child reached the top everybody went crazy. You were able to see the joy the castellers got from completing the tower. It was cool to think that something so old is still very alive in Catalan culture today. Finally, I was able to witness the Piromusical to end the festival. It was cool to see the fireworks go off and the fountain change colors. Also at one point, many people were holding up candles and it looked amazing. People where so proud of there culture during the fireworks. There were so many people singing songs and being happy. It was the perfect way to end La Mercè and to see how much meaning it has for the people of Barcelona.