LET THERE BE LIGHT

The last weekend in September sees the Merce Festival take over Barcelona. 

Nominally a religious holiday, it is really the goodbye to summer. One last blast before the autumn wardrobe is unpacked.

Falcons

Across the city there are parades, concert, fireworks, concerts and all manner of events, local teams of “Falcons” (human Pyramids) and Devils  (firework wielding dervishes) pop up all over the place and giants and fire dragons parade the streets.

Giant Tetris 

Merce is really too big to fully get your head around, it is best just to go for a wander and see what you find.

One event this year was drawing large crowds, a light show at the Sagrada Famila by Canadian company Moment Factory.

The Sagrada Famila is a storage enough spectacle as it is, and the addition, lights planted about the building, projections and even a crane scattering glitter, give the building an utterly surreal quality. Like a Grimm fairytale the lights bring the seem to complete Gaudi’s weird vision with the ornate stonework coming to life, growing and crawling,

Cybermen dancing in Parc Ciutadella

Zydeco band, with samba drum troupe and fire Devils in Placa Catalunya