Barcelona City Council positively reviews a decentralised festival, with the piromusical moved to Nova Icària beach and over 120,000 attendees at the waterfront.
The Barcelona City Council has evaluated this year's reorganisation of the La Mercè festivities as positive. The most noticeable change was the relocation of the piromusical from the Montjuïc fountains to Nova Icària beach, a decision aimed at alleviating congestion in the city's traditional hubs.
The commitment to decentralisation brought activities to neighbourhoods such as plaza de les Glòries and parc del Fòrum. According to municipal data, over 120,000 people gathered at the waterfront to watch the fireworks display, a figure that the council considers a successful turnout.
The municipal government highlights that the combination of local identity and international appeal remained intact. The choice of Shanghai as the guest city and a speech focused on supporting local commerce served as a common thread connecting the correfocs, castellers, and a contemporary offering for diverse audiences.
Sources from the council admit that the new model requires more demanding logistics for mobility, cleanliness, and security. The challenge for future editions is to consolidate decentralisation without transferring the inconveniences from the centre to residential areas.
“The relocation of mass events to neighbourhoods and beaches requires impeccable planning to avoid the usual disturbances of the centre being moved to residential areas.”
The Barcelona City Council is already working on the next edition of La Mercè, which will take place again in September 2027. The intention is to maintain the decentralised format and assess the long-term sustainability of the model.
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