Barcelona Festivals 2019: Guide to Top Barcelona Events

Primavera Sound kicks off the summer and the Barcelona festival season with style. The festival, founded in 2001, is renowned for its “chill” vibe and easily navigable venue, Parc del Forum. Primavera Sound has firmly established itself on the international music scene, rivaling Glastonbury, Worldwide, and Sonar. With a lineup that lends itself to a die-hard house and tech heads as well as alt and indie rock fans, Primavera Sound guarantees a good time can be had by all. Artists in previous years have included LCD Soundsystem, Tame Impala, Aurora Halal, Grace Jones and Kendrick Lamar. What’s more, late May is a beautiful time of year in Barcelona. The weather is gorgeous, with warm evenings - perfect for a boogie late into the night (or early into the morning).  

Every year, for the past 15 years, Barcelona, over the summer months, transforms its parks into small, outdoor concert halls. Beginning in June, the opening event kicks things off with a musical bang that is always a one of a kind performance. And, for the next three months, you can rock up to, take a seat and enjoy music in the parks that includes everything from jazz to classical in the warm summer evening air. The best part is it is all completely free!   

Sonar, Barcelona’s leading electronic music festival and one of the world’s largest, celebrates the exploration and innovation of dance music culture. Here, the party side of dance music rubs shoulders with the art and technology side of it too. Split across two different venues, Sonar by Day and Sonar by Night caters to the techno-dreams of its festival goers in many forms. From crowd-pleasing, arena pumping sets and sweaty, intimate performances of musical experimentation to talks, workshops, and exhibitions, Sonar offers up an exciting weekend of excellent activities. To sweeten the pot, DJs flock to the city and bring to life the lively “Off-Sonar” scene in performances at many of the city’s bars and clubs. If you're in Barcelona in June, you definitely want to hit up one of the best Barcelona music festival events in Spain!

 

Barcelona Beach Festival is one of July’s most anticipated festivals. For one day (and night) only a stellar lineup of commercial powerhouses spin their decks. This year’s lineup includes performances from Alesso, David Guetta, DJ Nano, and Steve Aoki. As the name suggests (Barcelona Beach Festival), the party takes place on the shoreline just a little further up from the Parc del Fòrum on the Platja de la Pau. So, as the DJ closes out the final set, you can watch the sun come up over the Mediterranean. Sounds pretty good.  

Shifting gears a little and moving away from the steady pulse of bass-heavy beats is the Barcelona International Jazz Festival. And, if you’re looking for cultural things to do in Barcelona outside of a visit to Sagrada Familia, then this sprawling jazz festival is a great place to start. Running eight months, Barcelona’s International Jazz Festival is one of Europe’s most well-respected jazz events. Held in venues across Barcelona, the festival finds a perfect balance between mainstream artists and lesser know, up and coming acts.  

Mid-July sees Parc del Forum explode back into life with another Barcelona based music festival. Unlike Primavera Sound and Sonar, Cruilla isn’t defined by a theme or style of music. Instead, over three days, it offers up an eclectic lineup of artists and running orders. In 2015, Lauren Hill was followed by FFS. This year you will be able to enjoy shows by the Black Eyed Peas, Lildamo, ZAZ, Garbage, Gang of Youths, Kylie, and Elyelle. Cruilla festival celebrates the diversity of music under the crystal clear, summer skies and warm nights of the Catalan capital. It’s well worth being a part of. 

Mediterranean Games are not so much a Barcelona festival as a Barcelona sporting event, but I would be remiss if I didn’t include it. For ten days at the end of June, Tarragona, an hour and a half south of Barcelona, hosts 4000 athletes from 26 countries competing in 33 different sports. This summer, Tarragona will come alive with the energy and excitement of a massive sporting event. Cheer on athletes competing for gold in sports like archery, swimming, beach volleyball, and tennis. Tarragona also boasts some of the best preserved Roman ruins in all of Spain, so when you need a day to get your voice back, you’ll have plenty of other things to do too.  

Every year for the past 50, Europe’s leading horror, gore, fantasy and sci-fi film festival takes place in the small seaside town of Sitges. So, if you're wondering what to do in Barcelona, hop in a car or jump on a train and take the short hour and a half journey south for ten days of films. The Sitges Film Festival champions genre films and filmmaking. And, hosts a number of fantastic screenings (many of which include premieres), conferences, lectures, and the famed “Zombie Walk.” The atmosphere reflects an audience who delight in themed screenings and the gorey, fantastical narratives that dominate so many genre films. The festival comes just in time for Halloween in Europe.

As Barcelona begins its slow march into winter, over a week in November, the city comes together to celebrate independent film. This year is the 26th edition of L’Alternativa Film Festival. According to their website, the festival endeavors to offer “filmgoers and professionals a unique opportunity to discover and enjoy screenings and activities that value creative freedom, diversity, innovation, commitment, and thought-provoking reflection.” Open to joe public, the festival consists of two official competitions for a feature and short films. It hosts a whole slew of screenings, all of which are of independent films, alongside masterclasses, debates, roundtables, and creative workshops. 

Quite probably the biggest night on the cultural Barcelona events calendar is the Nit de Sant Joan. Or, the night before Saint John’s Day. In celebration of the summer solstice and the birthdate of St. John the Baptist, the whole city explodes into life. Barcelona’s sky is a carnival of colors as everyone (and their dog) shoots off fireworks. Bars and clubs are packed with happy revelers ready to party the night away. The real action, though, is down at the beach. Here, people light bonfires, drink cava, and enjoy picnics. And, as the night pushes on many take a late night dip to wash away the sins of the year. Barcelona in June is a real firecracker!

Join in at one of the world’s best LGBTQ celebrations, the Barcelona Pride festival. In the weeks leading up to the Pride event itself, Barcelona comes alive with a whole range of activities that celebrate sexual diversity. There are conferences, parties, and street markets, many of which donate all collected proceeds to LGBTQ organizations. The Pride event takes place from the 29th - 30th of June with the parade taking place on the Saturday between 18.00-20.00. And, there are also a ton of fun things to do across the weekend from high heel races and Zumba classes to sports activities and concerts. So, head on down and be proud.

Throughout the year every neighborhood in Barcelona celebrates its own Festa Major, but it is with childlike excitement that the city anticipates the Festa Major de Gracia. In September, the quieter barrio of Gracia throws itself into a week-long street festival of vibrant color and celebration.  

The origins of the festival date as far back as 1817 when Gracia was an independent village. And, the area’s tight night community has forged an identity that has stood the test of time. That said, the Festa Major de Gracia is regarded as the most open and inviting of all of Barcelona’s Festa Majors. Expect to enjoy elaborately decorated balconies (part of a street competition), music, and dancing. Don’t miss the opening parade with the gegants (giants) and capsgrossos (big heads). There are loads of stalls serving delicious street foods like botifarra sausages and of course, Catalan pastries. All of which you can wash down with a small glass (or glasses) of vermouth.  The Festa Major de Gracia is one of the best Barcelona events August has to offer!

La Mercè Barcelona is the BIGGEST, annual Barcelona festival. Celebrated in September, the festival is held in honor of the Virgin Mary of Mercy. Legend has it that, in 1687, Barcelona suffered a plague of locust. When the Consell de Cent asked for the Virgin Mary’s assistance in deliverance from the plague, she answered. So, to commemorate her deed, the Virgin Mary of Mercy was named the patron saint of Barcelona and a party thrown in her honor. The tradition has continued since.  

Now, the weeklong festival consists of a ton of traditional activities and celebrations. Most notable is the famed Castellers - or human towers. Of all the things to see in Barcelona, this takes the cake and even tops some of the best Barcelona summer events. Castellers sees teams competing to build bigger, better human towers. There is also, the Correfoc, or the fire run. This tradition varies, but almost always guarantees a parade where people race around letting fireworks off and carrying effigies of the devil.

The “Avenida de la Catedral” is home to the Fira de Santa Llùcia, Barcelona’s biggest Christmas market, and one of the best Christmas markets in Europe. Dating back to 1786, it now includes over 300 stalls that sell food, drink and handcrafted Christmas decorations. Pick up a poinsettia or giggle over a caganer. For those who don’t know, the caganer is a figurine depicting a man taking a - well - having a bowel movement. One of the many quirky Catalan Christmas Traditions. The term translates literally to “the shitter.” For those with kids, they can pick up a stick and beat the caga tió (shitting log) while singing a song that demands the papier mache log poop them a present. There is also a nativity scene and music. For the wackiest Barcelona events, the Fira de Santa Llùcia delivers!