NELSON MANDELA by CLÀUDIA MOYÉS BACHS

NELSON MANDELA

Nelson Mandela died on the 5^th of December 2013 after a   lung infection disease. He was 95 years old. Nelson Mandela was an activist and a politician. He was the first black president of South Africa and he fought against apartheid for equality between blacks and whites. He wanted to free South Africa without violence, but the government started killing   protesters. He was sentenced to live in prison in a trial named Rivonia. In 1990 after nearly 27 years he left the prison.

In 1993 he won the Nobel Peace Prize for his leadership for his anti-apartheid activism. After receiving the prize he said: “We stand here today as nothing more than a representative of the millions of our people who dared to rise up against a social operation whose very essence is war, violence, racism, oppression, repression and the impoverishment of an entire people”.

Mandela’s dead has been a very bad new for human race.

 By CLÀUDIA MOYÉS BACHS.

You did a great job Clàudia! Congratulations!!!!

TOM AND JERRY

Tom and Jerry is a series of theatrical animated cartoon films created by William Hanna and Joseph Barbera for Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, centering on a rivalry between a cat (Tom) and a mouse (Jerry) whose chases include slapstick comedy. Hanna and Barbera ultimately wrote, produced, and directed 114 Tom and Jerry shorts at the MGM cartoon studio in Hollywood from 1940 to 1957. The original series is notable for having won seven Academy Awards, tying with Walt Disney's Silly Symphonies as the theatrical animated series with the most Oscars. A longtime television staple, Tom and Jerry has a worldwide audience and has been recognized as one of the most famous and longest-lived rivalries in American cinema.
MGM released an additional 13 entries in 1961 produced by Rembrandt Films led by Gene Deitch in central Europe. Chuck Jones' Sib-Tower 12 Productions produced another 34 entries between 1963–1967, creating a total of 161 theatrical entries.
Tom and Jerry resurfaced in made-for-television series produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions and Filmation Studios starting in the 1970s. The feature-length film Tom and Jerry: The Movie was released in 1992, and was followed by their first made-for-television short Tom and Jerry: The Mansion Cat for Boomerang. The most recent Tom and Jerry theatrical short, The Karate Guard, (2005) was written and co-directed by Barbera.
Time Warner (via its Turner Entertainment division) currently owns the rights to Tom and Jerry: Warner Bros. handles distribution. Since the merger, Turner has produced Tom and Jerry Tales for The CW's Saturday morning "The CW4Kids" lineup, and several Tom and Jerry direct-to-video films in collaboration with Warner Bros. Animation.

IT'S NEARLY HALLOWEEN TIME!!!

It is Halloween!!!!!

So we dressed up in Halloween costumes and we walked the school visiting the different classes. Some classes were in the dining-room making 'Panellets' and they had a scary surprise!!

But the Orenetes class was in the dining-room as well having lunch and they were surprised too!!!

The first class we visited was the Gira-sols class! We got into the class and we said: Happy Halloween!!

Then each one introduced her/his self saying their names and what they were dressed of.

Gira-sols are very brave!! They weren't scared at all! And I have to say that Marsupilamis did a great job

with the costumes!!!!!

Do you want to see them???

IT'S HALLOWEEN TIME!!!!!!!!

If you want to carve a Jack-O-Lantern you have to follow these steps:
First- Take your umbrellas and go to the market to buy 4 pumpkins.

Second- Divide the class in four groups and cover the table with newspaper.
Third- Measure a circle with about a 2-inch (5cm) radius from the stem. You'll cut around this circle to make the lid. 

Fourth- Remove the filling from the pumpkin. Use a large spoon or your hands to pull all of the filling and seeds from the inside of your pumpkin. 

Fifth- Draw your design on the pumpkin. For traditional, silhouette and pith carving, use a permanent marker or dry-erase marker to outline your design on the pumpkin.

Sixth- For pumpkin carving, use a serrated bread knife.

Seventh- Uou!!! Amazing!! Well done Suricates!!

CONGRATULATIONS SURICATES AND THANKS FOR YOUR HELP CARME!

Frankenweenie (2012) Trailer - Tim Burton 

THIS IS HALLOWEEN BY TIM BURTON!!!

How to make a jack-o-lantern

Can you dress up a monster?

CLICK HERE Do you want to hear a Halloween story?

A SONG!!! JAJAJAJAJAJAJAJAAJA!!!!!

AND ANOTHER SONG!

I love this picture!!!!

I know you love this game!!!!!!

CLICK HERE Do you want to play a game??? SPOOKY BLOCK-OUT In this game, you control a paddle that is used to hit a ball into breakable blocks. You can even pick up special bonus items to help you complete each level. This is a spooky Halloween twist on a classic game.

CLICK HERE! Do you want to play more games? HALLOWEEN MATCHING!! This is a memory matching game with a bit of Halloween style. Memorize the images on the cards before they flip over and then try and find all of the matching pairs of cards before time runs out.

CLICK HERE!!

THE MUPPETS HISTORY

Inspiring the Classics

We’ve talked about Jim Henson’s show Sam and Friends, where Kermit originated, before, but that wasn’t Jim Henson’s first experience working with puppets. It actually started all the way back in 1954 when Henson was still attending high school. He was quite ambitious because before he graduated, he already was creating puppets for a Saturday morning kid’s show called The Junior Morning Show featured on WTOP-TV.

Interestingly, Jim didn’t really intend to work on puppets for a career. He actually originally went to the University of Maryland, College Park, to become a commercial artist. But when he was only a freshman, he was asked to create a five-minute long puppet show for WRC-TV named Sam and Friends. The show ended up playing a huge role in the inspiration for The Muppets and featured a prototype version of Kermit the Frog.

So Who Was Sam and What's Up With His Friends?

1961

Well, Sam was a puppet that looked like a human and his friends were a variety of other human puppets, a few weird monstery creatures, a snake and a lizard that eventually morphed into the world’s most famous frog. The show started out just featuring the puppets lip-synching to popular songs, but as the show started gaining popularity, they started writing real sketches, many of which involved featured spoofs of popular TV shows.

One of the best-known sketches involved Kermit nibbling on something that looked like a worm, but eventually turned into the tongue or nose of the character Big V, a giant monster, who would eventually eat him. Near the end of the show’s run, Esskay Meats started showing ads at the end of the show, which would feature characters from Sam and Friends.

While the show was best known for introducing Kermit to the world, it also played a huge role in letting Henson perfect his puppetry techniques that would eventually change the way puppets were shown on television forever. One of his biggest innovations was setting up the camera shots so the people operating the puppets would not be seen on screen. He also made the puppets more flexible than puppets previously seen on television so they could express a wider array of emotions on screen.

Henson’s first big break occurred in 1966, when he started working on Sesame Street for PBS, which would finally give his Muppets a national audience. While the show was a massive success and Jim loved the idea of an educational show for children that was actually fun to watch, he was determined that the Muppets shouldn’t be pigeonholed as children’s characters. In 1974, he left the show and headed to London to start working on his dream creation The Muppet Show.

The first episode of The Muppet Show (above) premiered in September 1976. While kids enjoyed watching characters they recognized from Sesame Street, most of the jokes were written for adults, who enjoyed the slapstick plot lines and big name guest stars. Throughout the series’ six year-long run, over one hundred guest stars appeared on the show and no celebrity ever appeared twice on the show. In the beginning of the series, each star would receive a Muppet modeled after them as a parting gift, but because this practice was costly and time consuming, this policy was changed and characters based on stars were only created if they were intended to be used in the show.

Fortunately, Jim’s legacy continued to thrive after his passing and The Muppet Show was revived as Muppets Tonight in 1996, bringing the characters a whole new generation of fans. New movies also continued to be created and the characters made a number of movie and television appearances throughout the years as well.

Disney bought the rights to The Muppets in 2004 (although they do not own the rights to Sesame Street characters or Fraggles) and helped push the characters back into the public eye, starting with a number of popular web shows, particularly the award winning seriesStatler and Waldorf: From the Balcony. The company also opened a new attraction at their California Adventure park titled Muppet*Vision 3D, which features many of the show’s favorite characters attempting to put on a big new show that keeps going terribly wrong.


The characters have only gone up in popularity since then, appearing on a postage stamp and earning their own wing at the Center for Puppetry Arts in Atlanta (set to open next year). Fox is also in talks with Disney about making a new Muppets show, and, of course, there is the new movie coming out today as well.

Image Via Express Monorail [Flickr]

Fun Character Trivia

The Muppets wouldn’t be The Muppets if it weren’t for the individual characters, of course. So now that you know all about the history of the show, it’s time to take a look at some of the characters themselves.

• Kermit the Frog was the first Muppet, originally created in 1955 for Sam and Friends. He was first made from a turquoise woman’s coat that Jim’s mother had tossed in the trash. When he was adapted for Sesame Street, he was given his trademark collar to help hide the seam that attached his neck to his head. Kermit has reached #25 on the Billboard music charts with his hit song “The Rainbow Connection.


• Miss Piggy was only supposed to be a minor character on The Muppet show, but her obsession with Kermit and delusional view of herself quickly made her one of the central characters in the show.


• Animal has appeared in all of the Muppet movies and is undoubtedly the most famous member of the Electric Mayhem, making him the only one from the band to regularly appear on The Muppet Babies, where he was voiced by Howie Mandel. In 1998, he was named the official mascot of the U.S. Ski Team in that year’s Winter Olympics.


• Fozzie Bear was named for Faz Fazakas, who created the mechanism that allowed him to wiggle his ears. Fozzie’s jokes often include Jewish humor because he was origianally performed by Frank Oz, who is Jewish.


• Gonzo the Great was originally called a “whatever” or a “weirdo” when it came to his species, but in Muppets from Space, it was revealed that he is actually an alien from a distant planet. Of course, that doesn’t make his love for Camilla the Chicken any less strange.


• Rowlf the Dog was originally created for a 1962 Purina commercial, but his career really took off when he started regularly performing on The Jimmy Dean Show. Because Jimmy Dean did so much to help promote The Muppets, Henson even offered him a cut of his profits, but Dean refused, explaining that Jim did all the work and thus, deserved all the credit. In a 1966 IBM film, Rowlf lists his full name as Rowlf Cameron Swayze.

Obviously in the almost sixty years since Jim Henson started creating Muppets, a lot has happened, so I can’t cover it all here. That being said do any of you have any favorite Muppet stories I may have left out here? Also are you guys excited about the new movie?

Sources: Wikipedia #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11

IT'S AUTUMN

It's autumn and Sally Squirrel is collecting nuts for the winter. Can you help her collect nuts before it gets too cold?

CLICK HERE!!



IT'S AUTUMN OR FALL TIME!!!!
 Here you'll find a song about the 4 seasons.
I'm sure you'll enjoy it!!!

A lovely song by Miles Davis!!

Beautiful Autumn and Vivaldi

Mercè Festival Barcelona 2013

Merce Festival Barcelona 2013 by Barcelona Yellow Pages and Travel Guide

La Mercè Festival Barcelona 2013  Merce Festival Barcelona. Merce Guide, Merce programme and maps and Top Events at Merce 2013 - Barcelona's biggest festival of the year. The Merce 2013 dates are Friday 20th September 2013 to Tuesday 24th September 2013. In this Merce Festival 2013 guide we suggest the best things to do and what to see during Barcelona's biggest annual festival. The Merce 2013 public holiday is on 24th September 2013 and the weather forecast for Merce 2013 is that the weather during the festival will be dry and sunny with temperatures from 18 or 19° to  24 or 25° degrees Celcius. Barcelona's metro trains will be open all night during the Merce festival. La Merce is "La festa major de Barcelona" and the biggest city festival of the year in Barcelona. Scroll down this page to find top things to do at Barcelona Merce Festival including concerts, fireruns, fireworks, human towers and much more. La Merce always has hundreds of wonderful events in the Merce festival, so be sure to check links below for highlights and download the full Merce festival programme. Bones festes de la Mercè! >  Top things to do Merce Festival  >   PDF Festival highlights La Merce 2013 (in English) >   PDF full programme Merce Festival 2013 (in Catalan) >    Download PDF BAM festival 2013>   DAY BY DAY programme and calendar 2013 Merce festival >   Pictures Merce Festival >   Map locations Merce events  >   Twitter search  #mercè13  Merce Festival Apps > Merce Festival Iphone App > Merce festival Android App View Merce Festival  - Map of locations in a larger map Origins of Merce Festival name Barcelona's biggest annual festival is the Merce Festival - “Les Festes de la Mercè." This is the celebration of the Patron Saint of Barcelona, the Virgin Mary, who is called “María de las Mercedes”, meaning "Mary of Mercies." She is also called ”La Mare de Deu de la Mercè," meaning “Mother of God of Mercy” in Catalan -  or “Virgin de La Mercè” – Virgin of Mercy - or "Nuestra Señora de la Merced" (Spanish) which means Our Lady of Mercy - or La Mercè for short. The words "Mercè" in Catalan and "Merced" in Spanish, mean "mercy” in English. The legend of La Mercè  According to legend on the night of 2nd August 1218 the Virgin Mary appeared to the Catalan knight Pere Nolasc. She asked him to form a sacred order of monks in her name. He did as she asked and formed the Order of Merced, dedicated to ransoming poor Christians, who were take prisoner by Saracen pirates during the wars of the crusades and who could not afford to pay their ransoms. Pere Nolasc had actually already been doing this since 1202 so for 15 years before the Virgin appeared to him, but he always praying for help and divine intervention and this came in the form of a Marian experience in 1218. The Order of Mercy was established on August 10, 1218 with the help of Nolasc's confessor at Barcelona cathedral, Saint Ramón de Penyafort, and with support from the Count of Barcelona and King of Aragon King Jaume I. All the details of the foundation of the Order of Mercy are kept to this day in the Archives of the Aragon Crown in Barcelona. Centuries later in 1687 the Virgin of La Mercè helped Barcelona by making a plague of locusts disappear. After the locust plaque the Council of the City chose La Merce as patron saint of Barcelona and she was canonised as a patron saint in 1868 by the Pope Pius IX. Since 1687 the city has celebrated La Mercè festival every year in Barcelona and the locust plague has never returned. La Mercè was also briefly appointed commander of the army during the war of succession in 1714, when the Barcelona was under siege by the French. The Virgin had better success fighting locusts than French soldiers because this time Barcelona lost the fight and the city was captured by the French on September 11th 1714. This defeat is now commemorated as the Catalunya national day.  La Mercè church in Barcelona - Basilica La Mercè There is a sculpture of La Merce on top of the church called "Basilica La Mercè" on the square Plaça de la Mercè in the Gothic area of Barcelona near Barcelona's Port Vell harbour and quite close Las Ramblas. This is the only church in Barcelona with a baroque façade. The first church on this location was built in 1267 and it has later been reformed several times. Between 1765 y 1775 the architect Josep Mas renovated what can now be seen as the present day church Basilica La Mercè. The building at the opposite end of the plaza was formerly a convent called "Convent of the Mercè," and is an army building today. You can also see a fountain on the Merce plaza of Neptune, the Greek god of the sea in Roman mythology. Look up and you will see the sculpture of the Virgin on the roof of the Basilica La Mercè. Inside the church you can see a gothic wooden statue of “Virgin and Child” which is attributed to the artist Pere Moragues in 1361.  Highlights of Les Festes de la Mercè 2013 Les Festes de la Mercè 2013 will have hundreds of big and small events that focus on popular Catalan and Mediterranean culture. You can see the most popular events below. The festival presents a music festival, Catalan traditions, parades, concerts, firework displays, air shows, a 10km run and many more events in Barcelona at many locations from Friday 20th September 2013 to Tuesday 24th September 2013, which is the main festival period. in 2013 La Mercè commemorates Catalan history on the 300th annivesarty of the siege of Barcelona ending the War of the Spanish Succession between 1713 and 1714. Merce visitors will be able to experience eighteenth-century Barcelona brought to life thanks by actors and actresses in period costumes and exhibitions. La Mercè’s special guest city in 2013 is the much admired capital of Austria, Vienna. Some events like the 10k Merce run on Sunday 15th Sep and the airshow on Sunday 29th September take place before and after the main festival. The 24th September is always a public holiday in Barcelona in honour of the city's patron saint La Merce and in 2013 the Merce public holiday is on a Tuesday. The metro, FGC and trams is usually open all night during the Merce festival from Friday night until and Monday 24th at midnight. Many of the Merce activities also have special buses. Bicing city bikes (residents only) are usually open 24 hours a day during the festival. The poster for the 2013 Merce festival is called SuperGegant! - SuperGiant! and is by photographer Joan Fontcuberta. See all the previous Merce festival posters here. >  Merce festival metro / bus timetables Mercè opening speech - Pregó de festa major "Pregó de festa major." The Festes de la Mercè are traditionally opened with a speech by the “pregoner” or "the town crier" to signal the start of the Mercè festivities. This speech is called the "Pregó" and is usually by a prominent Catalan citizen or artist. In the past it has been made by many famous Catalans among them Dalí, Miró, Tàpies and Pau Casals. In 2013 La Merce will be officially opened by world famous chef Ferran Adrià. The opening speech is in Catalan and on Frdiay 20/9 2013 at 7pm in the "Saló de Cent del Ayuntamiento" in Barcelona city hall on Plaça de Sant Jaume in the Gothic quarter. The Prego ceremony itself is by invitation only and is in Catalan. It is broadcast live on big screens outside the city hall on Plaça Sant Jaume and it is also transmitted live on the Merce website and on Catalan TV channel TV3 Mercè Concerts and music festivals The Merce 2013 BAM music festival (Barcelona Acción Musica) 21st edition of BAM (Barcelona Acció Musical) Bam is a 4 day annual indie music festival that takes place during the Merce Barcelona city festival. All BAM festival concerts are outdoor and free. The BAM festival is organised by the city of Barcelona and has around 106 free open-air concerts by artists from 19 countries on 6 open air venues in Barcelona. A popular highlight of BAM is the street concert at the "Antiga fàbrica d'Estrella Damm" in Eixample on Saturday 21 September 2013 from 19:30 onwards. Visit the BAM website to see full festival programme and BAM13 artist line-up. PLAÇA REIAL - Plaza in gothic area of Barcelona > Map link PLAÇA DELS ÀNGELS by MACBA museum > Map link JOAN COROMINES - in Raval area in CCCB cultural centre > Map link PARC DEL FÒRUM - in Diagonal Mar area  > Map link ANTIGA FÀBRICA D'ESTRELLA DAMM - Eixample area > Map linkRAMBLA DEL RAVAL - Raval area > Map linkOne of the highlights of BAM music festival is the street concert at the "Antiga fàbrica d'Estrella Damm" in Eixample on Saturday 21st September from 19:30 onwards featuringThe Free Fall Ban,  El Petit de Cal Eril and headliner Miles Kane. Other big concerts at Merce are Cadena Dial concert at Parc del Forum on Monday 23rd September 2013 - and the 40 principales/Hard Rock concert on Tuesday 22nd Sep from 17.30 onwards at Avenida Reina Cristina near Plaza Espanya. Visit the BAM website and Merce website to see full programme of concerts and artist line-up >   Barcelona BAM music festival >  Artists line-up BAM13 Barcelona Mercè Parades and traditional Catalan events Activity: Opening Ceremony procession "Toc d’Inici" or "Seguici Inaugural"  Date & time:  Friday 20th September 2013 at 7pm - 19:00 Where: > Starts at Palau de la Virreina on La Rambla then at 7pm and finishes at Plaça de Sant Jaume both the Gothic area of Barcelona Seguici Inaugural - also called "Toc d’Inici" which means "starting touch." This is the opening procession of La Merce which features mythical figures of "Bestiari de Barcelona" and giants and bigheads called "Gegants i Capgrossos" in Catalan language -  from medieval Barcelona. It starts from place on Plaça de Sant Jaume, where the gegants and capgrossos perform their dances to the sounds of the traditional minstrels called "Ministrers del Camí Ral," who meet just once a year specially for this event.. Activity: Passejada de dracs i bèsties de foc - Parade of Fire-Breathing Dragons and Beasts  Date & time:  Saturday 21st September 2013 at 9pm - 21:00 Where: > Starts at Plaça de Sant Jaume in Gothic area of Barcelona, then along streets Ferran, las Ramblas, Cardenal Casañas, Plaça del Pi, Plaça Sant Josep Oriol, Palla, Plaça Nova, Bisbe, to finish at Plaça Sant Jaume Parade of Fire-Breathing Dragons and Beasts  Activity: Parade "Xambanga de Gegants " - Giants’ Xambanga Date & time: Monday 23rd September 2013 at 9pm - 21:00 Where: > Parade start at Maritime museum. Finish at Plaça de Sant Jaume  The "Xambanga de Gegants" is a procession of "dancing" giants from many districts and neighbourhoods of Barcelona. Both the groups and the giants dance to traditional drums and pipes and sometimes even to pop music. This event is especially fun because the giants and giants groups are dressed up in their own fancy dress and different costumes. This parade starts in 2013 at the Maritime museum Museu Marítim then goes along street la Rambla, street Ferran to end at Plaça de Sant Jaume in the Gothic area. Activity: La Mercé Parade "Cavalcada Mercè" - also called "La Gran Cavalcada de la Mercè" Date & time: Tuesday 24th September 2013 from 6pm to 8pm - 18:00 to 20:00 Where: > Map parade route Start:  > Avinguda Marquès de l'Argentera in El Born area Finish: > Plaça de Sant Jaume in Gothic area Nearest Metro station: Barceloneta yellow line L4  Merce's biggest parade called Cavalcada Mercè and often called "la Gran Cavalcada de la Mercè." This procession features many of the city "gegants" - giants  and is led by the Barcelona giants called "Jaume I"  and "Violant d´Hongria." There are also groups of street artists, dancers and many other traditional Catalan figures and traditions. This procession starts at 18.00 from Avinguda Marquès de l'Argentera, then goes along street Comerç, street Princesa, street Via Laietana, street Jaume I to finish at Plaça de Sant Jaume . > Map parade route >   Calendar Merce 2013 events >   About gegants and capgrossos traditions  Mercè Sardanes dancing Activity: Sardanes inaugurals amb la Cobla de Sant Jordi Date & time: Friday 20th September 2013 at 7pm - 19:00 Where: > Av. de la Cathedral in front of Barcelona Cathedral  Nearest metro station: Jaume I - L4 Sardanes is the traditional folk dancing of Catalunya. The "cobla" is the band that plays for the Sardanes dancers.Activity: 63è Concurs de Colles Sardanistes – Sardanes dancing competition Date & time: Sunday 22nd September 2013 at 11:00  Where: > Av. de la Cathedral in front of Barcelona Cathedral  Nearest metro station: Jaume I - L4 Big Sardanes competition in front of Barcelona Cathedral. This is a lovely event to watch with many sardanas groups competing.>  About Sardanes dancing and Cobla music  >  Pictures Sardanes dancing  Merce Correfocs - Fire runs Activity: Firerun - Correfoc infantil - Children's Correfoc Date & time: Sunday 22nd September 2013 from 6.30pm - 18:30 Nearest metro station: Jaume I - L4 Where: Starts and ends on Via Laietana between Carrer de Joan Massana and Plaça d'Antoni Maura  "Correfoc infantil dels petits diables" is the special children's correfoc firerun with fireworks and firecrackers that are a little less noisy and scary for the kids and with special focus on the children. The children's correfoc is on Via Laietana. There will be correfoc activities and workshops all day in front of the Santa Catarina market. Activity: Firerun - Correfoc - Porta de l´Infern Date: Sunday 22nd September 2013 at 20:30 - 8.30pm Where: Starts at Plaça d'Antoni Maura on Via Laietana then down Via Laietana to Plaça d'Antonio López to end at Carrer del Consolat de Mar Nearest Metro station: Jaume I - L4 The Correfoc is one of the most popular events of La Merce with up to 70.000 spectators. About forty groups of "colles de diables" - “groups of devils” from in and around Barcelona, as well as dragons and other "bestiari de foc" -  fire beasts, take part in this festival of fire. The legend of Correfoc is that the  Mascle Cabró (Catalan) or Macho Cabrón in Spanish - a male goat or ram in English - hears the arrival of the "diables" the devils,  and commands his armies to cross the gate of hell called "Porta de l´Infern" which separates the real world from hell. At the end of the correfoc the devils are sent back into hell. The Merce correfoc starts with spectacular fireworks of the "Porta de l´Infern " - "Gates of Hell," which then open and release the "diables" to start the "correfoc"  firerun. About 80.000 fireworks are used during the correfoc so you are advised to follow some basic correfoc safety precautions about practical clothes to wear to see a correfoc. Ear plugs are a very good idea or just put some tissue paper in your ears, because it's very noisy, especially when the "Trabucaires" Catalan "bandits" shoot their blunderbuss guns  There is also a children's correfoc the same day at 18:30 and you can find correfoc activities and workshops all day in front of the Santa Catarina food market in the Born neighbourhood. >  About correfoc traditions in Catalonia  Merce Castellers - Human Tower building  Activity: Castellers display - Human castles "Diada castellera amb les colles locals"  Date & time: Tuesday 24th September 2013 at 12:30 Where:  Plaça de Sant Jaume in the Gothic quarter Nearest metro station: Jaume I  - yellow L4"Diada castellera amb les colles locals." Castellers display by Barcelona groups of human tower builders on Plaça de Sant Jaume, Barcelona at 12.30. Features all the human tower groups on Barcelona which are the Castellers de Barcelona, Castellers de la Sagrada Família, Castellers de la Vila de Gràcia, Castellers de Sants and Castellers del Poble-Sec. Activity: Falcons de Barcelona i cercavila - Falcons human towers display and paradeDate & time: Sunday 22nd September 2013 at 10.30 Where: Starts at Av. de la Catedral and finishes at Plaça de Sant Jaume Nearest Metro station: Jaume I - yellow L4Matí de Falcons. Falcon Tower building display by "Colla Falcons de Barcelona" and "Falcons del País del Cava." The groups will tour the gothic area from Plaça de Santa Jaume to Barcelona cathedral. This is another form of human tower building called the Falcon discipline named after a Czech tradition called "Sökol," which means falcon. Falcon structures were popular in Catalonia at the beginning of the 20th century, but then fell out of favour. In Barcelona a young group called the Barcelona Falcons has revived this tradtion of making falcon structures and they performed first at the Saint Eulalia festivities in 2003. Very festive to watch.  This is anotherform of human tower building called the Falcon discipline named after a Czech tradition called "Sökol," which means falcon. Falcon human tower structures were popular in Catalonia at the beginning of the 20th century but then fell out of favour. In Barcelona a young group called the Barcelona Falcons has revived this tradtion of making falcon structures and they peformed first at the Saint Eulalia festivities in 2003. Worth seeing. Activity: Diada castellera Castellers display - human towers Cercavila de castellers i festa castellera "Diada castellera de les colles convidades." Date & time: Sunday 22nd September 2013 at 12:00 Where:  > Plaça de Sant Jaume - Gothic quarter  Nearest Metro station: Jaume I - Yellow line L4 "Cercavila de castellers i festa castellera" also called "Diada castellera de les colles convidades"  Biggest human towers Castellers display of the Merce Festival. Takes place on Plaça de Sant Jaume, Barcelona featuring top "colles" i.e. groups of castellers invited from all over Catalunya including Castellers de Barcelona, Minyons de Terrassa and Castellers de Vilafranca. Very exciting to watch. Pl Jaume will be very crowded, but generally the crowds tend to loosen and disperse after each tower, so with a little patience you will be sure to see some of these stunning human towers that reach 9 and 10 levels in height.   >  About castellers traditions   Merce Mediterranean Tall Ships Regatta  Activity:  Tall ships sailing race Date & time: Saturday 21st September to Tuesday 24th September 2013 Where: Port Vell marina Nearest metro stations: Drassanes L3 - Barceloneta L4 Barcelona’s Port Vell marina hosts the Mediterranean Tall Ships Regatta 2013. Visitors will have access to the amazing ships and their crews based at Port Vell harbour in Barcelona for a 4 day festival featuring crew parades and guided tours of these majestic queens of the sea. The Mediterranean Tall Ships race is organised by the Sail Training International which is a non-profit foundation that promoted education and development of youngsters of all nationalities, religion and social background through sail training. > More event information Barcelona Tall Ships Regatta Merce Barcelona Air show - Festa al Cel - CANCELLEDActivity: Barcelona Air show - Festa al Cel Date & time: >CANCELLED  Sunday 29th September 2013 from 12:00 to 16:00 Where:  > Festa al Cel air show map - beaches of Barcelona Nearest metro stations: Various stations on yellow line 4  Festa al Cel 2013 - Barcelona Airshow. This Merce event has been cancelled at the last minute for 2013 citing environmental objections and capacity. "Barcelona City Council will not be able to hold the Festa al Cel air show this year, because the Spanish Ministry of Public Works has not given Barcelona-El Prat airport the relevant authorisation to operate within the runway complex that would allow the air exhibition to go ahead. The decision is based on environmental considerations (noise) and the airport's operating capacity" The Barcelona Airshow was scheduled for Sunday 29 September 2013.>   More event information Merce Airshow - Festa al Cel  Merce - (MAC) Mercè Arts de Carrer Activity: Street Arts Festival - Mercè Arts de Carrer Date & time: Saturday 21st September to Monday 23 September 2013  Where:  > Parc del Ciutadella Nearest metro station: Barceloneta yellow L4 or Arc de Triomf red L1 (MAC) Mercè Arts de Carrer. Dance and street art festival in the Parc del Ciutadella with many performances all over the park. A beautiful setting for music. Worth a visit.>   Programme events Parc del Ciutadella Merce Circ al Castell - Circus Festival Activity: Circus Festival at Montjuic Castle Date & time: Sunday 22nd, Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24th September 2013 Where: > Castell de Montjuic on Montjuic hill Merce circus festival at Castell de Montjuic during Merce Festival with many local and international artists. The focal point of the circus festival of Merce is a the large circus tent in the Santa Eulàlia castle moat. >   Programme Merce Circ al CastellMerce Sports EventsThere are many sports events during La Merce festival. The Nova Icària beach hosts Barcelona City International Beach Volleyball Trophy which is daily during the festival. On the Somorrostro beach you can enjoy the 4th La Mercè Beach Rugby Tournament. At Port Vell marina in Barcelona harbour you can see the traditional Merce open water harbour swim on Sunday 22nd September. d the popular 10k run Cursa de la Merce, which is before the main festival on Sunday 15th September 2013.  Activity: Mercè 2013:  Harbour swim - Travessia Nedant al Port de Barcelona Date & time: Sunday 22nd September 2013 at 09.30am Registration: > Register online here Location: Swim starts at Plaça del Portal de la Pau near Columbus Monument. Nearest Metro: Drassanes green line L3 86th edition of Merce open water harbour swim called "86a Travessia Nedant al Port de Barcelona" will be on Sunday 22nd September 2013. As always it is organised by the "Club Natació Atlétic" sports club in Barceloneta. This open water swim across the port of Barcelona takes place every year during the Merce Festival and there are various routes and categories from 400m to 3000m. The event starts at the "Golondrinas" harbour boats near the  Columbus Monument at the port end of La Rambla. Visit the website for details of registration. >  Website 86a Travessia Nedant al Port de Barcelona - open water swim Merce 2013 >  Route Merce open water swim 2013 Merce fireworks -  "El Foc de la Mercè" Exhibició PirotècnicaActivity: Mercè 2013: Exhibició Pirotècnia (previously called Festival Pirotècnic)  Dates: Saturday 21st September 2013 and Sunday 22nd September 2013 at 10pm - 22:00 Admission: Free Location: > Platja de la Barceloneta - by "Espigó del Gas" breakwater Nearest metro station: Ciutadella Vila Olimpica L4 - or Barceloneta L4 El Foc de la Mercè" Exhibició Pirotècnica. Two nights of spectacular fireworks displays from 22.00 in the evening on the beach of Barceloneta at the Platja de la Barceloneta by the "Espigó del Gas" which is the name of the first breakwater to the south of Port Olimpic. Merce Piromusical at Magic Fountain Activity: Mercè 2013: Piromusical - Music, fireworks and Magic Fountain light and water display Date & time: Tuesday 24th September 2013 at 10pm - 22:00 Admission: Free Location: > Avinguda Reina Maria Cristina at Magic Fountain of Montjuic Nearest metro station: Espanya L1 The Piromusical is the grand finale of the main Merce Festival and takes place at the Magic Fountain at the foot of Montjuic hill near Plaza Espanya with the Palau Nacional in the background. The Piromusical is a fantastic music, water, fireworks and laser light display centred around the Magic Fountain at Montjuic hill with music and light themes change from year to year. Spectators fill the entire length of the Maria Cristina avenue from the twin Venetian towers, so we recommend that you get there around 21.00 to get a good place. There is no seating so you will have to stand on the street during the fireworks and music show. This is a charming and fun event for all ages and truly a treasured tradition and highlight of the Merce festival. You can see this event live on Catalan TV channel TV3.  Mercè 2013 - Light projections show on city hall  Activity: Mercè 2013: " L’increïble viatge a la Lluna" - light show Date & time: Friday 20th September 2013 to Tuesday 24th September 2013 Town hall light show times: Friday 20/9  at 21:15, 21:45, 22:15 and 22:45 Saturday 21/9  at 20:45, 21:45 and 22:45 Sunday 22/9  at 20:45, 21:15, 21:45, 22:15 and 22:45 Monday 23/9  at 20:45, 22:00,  22:30 and 23:00 Tuesday 24/9 2013 at 20.45, 22:00, 22.30 i 23:00 Location: > Plaça de Sant Jaume in Gothic quarter Nearest metro station: Jaume I - Yellow line L4 Projection light show on facade of Barcelona city hall. Projeccions a la façana de l’Ajuntament:" L’increïble viatge a la Lluna." The incredible voyage to the moon. This is an Innovative and fun light projection show every evening during the Merce festival which uses the facade of the Barcelona's city hall as a giant screen. Light show times vary according to other events at Pl Sant Jaume. Merce 2013 - La Ciutat de la BullíciaActivity: Mercè 2013: La Ciutat de la Bullícia Date: Friday 20th September to Sunday 22nd September 2013 Admission: Free. Open daily Location: > Parc de la Ciutadella Nearest metro: Arc de Trionf - Red Line L2 Barcelona's Parc de la Ciutadella becomes the "La Ciutat de la Bullícia"- the "bustling city" - for the Merce 2013 festival. Visit the park and see music and dance shows, theatrical performances and concerts that showcase the Barcelona the way it was three hundred years ago giving visitors the opportunity to live Catalan history and an important turning point in the destiny of the Catalan people -  the siege of Barcelona which ended the War of the Spanish Succession between 1713 and 1714. > See all Merce events at the Parc de la Ciutadella  Merce Catalan Wine & Cava FestivalActivity: Mercè 2013: Wine and Cava Festival 2013 Date & time: Saturday 21st September to Tuesday 24th September 2013 from 12:00 a 20:00  Admission: Free. Tickets on sale for tasting. (ticket sales for tasting closes at 21.15) Location: > new location at Passeig de Lluís Companys near Arc de Triomf Nearest metro station: Drassanas Green line L3 - Barceloneta Yellow line L4 "Mostra de Vins i Caves de Catalunya." Catalan Wines and Cavas Fair featuring Catalonia's DO wines and cavas from Catalan vineyards is from Saturday 21st September to Tuesday 24th September 2013. The 33rd edition of this popular wine tasting festival in Barcelona, which is part of Merce Festival. The Mostra de Vins i Caves de Catalunya moves in 2013 from the old location on "Moll de la Fusta" wharf in Port Vell marina to a new location near the monument Arc de Triomf on Passeig de Lluis Company.  On Sunday 22nd September 2013 you can also visit the "Trobada d'Intercanvi de Plaques de Cava Diada 2013" from 10am to 2pm where collectors of Cava bottle top wrappers - called a "Chapa de Cava" meet and buy and sell. > Visit Mostra de Vins i Caves de Catalunya website Merce Book Fair - Passeig de Gracia Activity: Mercè 2013: 62a Fira del Llibre d’Ocasió Antic i Modern Date: Friday 20th September to Sunday 6th October 2013 Time: Monday to Saturday 10.00 to 21.00 - Sunday 11.00 to 21.00 Admission: Free Location: On "Passeig de Gracia" from Plaza Catalunya up to street of Arago. Nearest metro station: Passeig de Gracia Annual outdoor book fair which also is part of Merce Festival. The "62a Fira del Llibre d’Ocasió Antic i Modern" (Catalan) or "La 62 Feria del Libro de Ocasión Antiguo y Moderno" (Spanish) is an outdoor book market selling new and old Spanish and Catalan books, and a few foreign books too, on "Passeig de Gràcia" street. The outdoor book market starts at Plaza Catalunya and ends at the crossing of the street "Carrer de Arago."  Organised by El Gremi de Llibreters de Vell de Catalunya  Merce Asia Festival BarcelonaDates: Friday 20th September to Tuesday 24th September 201312th edition of the Festival Asia organized by Casa Asia. The Festival Asia is a permanent part of the Merce Festival of Barcelona. Barcelona showcases the cultural richness and diversity of Asia with a range of high quality productions from abroad and the presence of the Asian communities in Catalonia.Visit the Festival Asia website for programme and information. >   See programme Barcelona Asia Festival  Merce Museums Open Day Activity: Museums Open Day - Free entrance to many city museums Date & time: Tuesday 24th September 2013 and some other days Where: Many top museums in Barcelona Jornada de Portes Obertes Merce 2013. Many museums and Barcelona landmarks take part in the Merce festival by opening their doors to the public for free on certain days of the Merce festival. This is called "Jornada de Portes Obertes" - day of open doors. Find all free museums participating in open day at Merce 2013. Several theatres in Barcelona also offer half price tickets during the Merce festival. The Sagrada Familia church is free for three days during the Merce festival on Sunday 22nd, Monday 23rd and Tuesday 24 September, but only from 4pm in the afternoon until 8pm in the evening. Free open house tickets are available on www.sagradafamilia.org from 12th September until capacity has been reached.