Emma Vilarasau, speaker of La Mercè 2025

BarcelonaActress Emma Vilarasau will be the town crier for La Mercè 2025. This was announced this Thursday by the Mayor of Barcelona, Jaume Collboni, at the presentation of the first new features related to the city's main festival. The Mayor wished to recognize Vilarasau's four-decade career in the world of culture and acting. The actress will kick off the festivities in the Catalan capital.

Born in Sant Cugat del Vallès in 1959, Vilarasau is one of the most well-known theater, television, and film actresses in Catalonia. During her long professional career, she has played more than 50 theater roles and numerous series, such as Nizaga of power and Ventdelplà, and several films. At the last edition of the Goya Awards she received the award for best leading actress for House on fire, and also has the Cross of St. George, the National Culture Award and many other awards, such as Gaudí, Max or Feroz.

Vilarasau, who stated that she is "very excited" to have been chosen as the town crier, commented that at first she wasn't sure what to say: "I'm an actress, and normally they write down what I say; if I have to do it, I have my doubts." Even so, she said that she has already formed an idea about how to approach the speech—although this may change between now and September—and she added that she wants to relate it to her personal and professional growth to thank the city "for everything it has given her." The actress, despite not being born in Barcelona, maintains a strong connection with the city: "This is where I met the people who have helped me grow in the world of the performing arts; it's an honor, and I will try to live up to it," she concluded.

The poster for the new edition was also presented during the event, which was created with "wood, metal, magic, and imagination," as the author, film director Lluís Danés, said. The illustration pays homage to traveling theater and aims to capture the essence of Mercè, who is closely linked to the world of acting and performance.

Although no information has been released regarding the concerts and the rest of the festival program, Collboni has detailed that the Magic Fountain of Montjuïc will once again gush with water for the closing fireworks display. The mayor already provided some of this information in April, when he explained that the installation was undergoing a "transformation" process—with the renovation of the sound and lighting system—and would be ready for La Mercè after being closed for three years due to the drought.

This year's edition will be held from September 23rd to 28th, although a break will be called on Thursday the 25th—a day on which no activities will be scheduled—to resume activities over the weekend. The opening proclamation will be held on Tuesday the 23rd, and the closing fireworks display will take place on Sunday the 28th.

Protesters in Vallcarca boycott the event

The presentation ceremony was originally scheduled for 10 a.m. in Ciutadella Park. A few minutes before the event began, a dozen residents of Vallcarca They boycotted the presentation. The protesters were protesting the evictions being carried out by the Collboni government from the occupied blocks in the neighborhood. This forced the organizers to postpone the event for more than an hour.

Chanting "No neighbors out of the neighborhood," and using whistles and banners, they forced the event to be postponed. The protesters accused the municipal government of having "normalized" real estate speculation and prevented the mayor from speaking. The presentation finally took place at 11:00 a.m. inside the city hall building.