Barcelona City Council has confirmed that Shanghai will take part in an economic event during La Mercè in September, as the city looks to expand trade with Chinese companies and strengthen business links. For Barcelona residents, business owners and visitors, it means the city festival will include an international business agenda alongside the usual cultural programme.
The council has also said Shanghai will be the guest city for La Mercè 2026. According to the city, that invitation will bring cultural exchanges during the festival, while the planned economic meeting is meant to support closer institutional and commercial ties.
La Mercè is Barcelona's annual festival held each September in honour of the city's co-patron saint. The official festival pages published by Barcelona City Council say the event takes place across multiple neighbourhoods and public spaces, with programme details updated on the municipal website.
The city says the Shanghai event is intended to "ampliar la actividad comercial con empresas chinas y estrechar las relaciones económicas entre ambas regiones". Readers can follow the official festival pages for venue, schedule and access updates, and check the council's La Mercè information in Catalan or English.
The plan builds on existing ties between Barcelona and Shanghai. Barcelona City Council has previously described the two cities as twin cities, and in 2021 marked 20 years of that partnership through the Barcelona-Shanghai Bridge cultural cycle. The Port of Barcelona has also announced a strategic agreement with the Port of Shanghai, while Fira de Barcelona has hosted Shanghai-linked activity through urban innovation events.
For local companies, especially those in trade, logistics, technology, tourism and professional services, the September meeting could create new contact points with Chinese businesses. For residents, the more immediate effect is likely to be seen in the La Mercè programme, with guest city events added to the usual Barcelona line-up. Readers can also see our Community coverage for more local updates.
City Hall has not yet published the full schedule, venue details or participation format for the economic event. Businesses and trade groups will need to wait for further announcements, while residents and visitors should keep an eye on the official La Mercè website for updates. For context on how we handle official material and verification, see our Editorial Policy.
