What's On Barcelona: 16th - 18th October

Bon dia!

Blimey. There’s a lot on this weekend. If you can’t find something to do in Barcelona, I don’t know what to tell you.

Good job I’ve got Alex helping me with this now. It’s getting a bit out of hand!

Just a quick one, our friend Matt is selling his lovely villa with a pool in Olivella, it’s 12 mins from Sitges & 30 from the airport. If you fancy a quieter life (or just like looking at other people’s houses online), you can check it out here.

Here’s what’s on this weekend!

- Mark and Alex

⛅️ Weather

Fri 🌥️ 24°/19° Sat 🌧️ 24°/16° 🌧️ Sun 16°/15°

1. Mercat de Mercats – 3 Days of Food, Tapas & Cooking Shows

What’s On: Barcelona’s annual Mercat de Mercats food festival takes place at Plaça de les Glòries this weekend, bringing together local market traders, chefs and food producers for three days of food and activities.

There’ll be tapas, tastings, live cooking shows and stalls selling fresh local produce. You can even buy ingredients and cook them yourself on the free barbecues.

📅 When: Friday to Sunday, 16th–18th October
📍 Where: Plaça de les Glòries

For more info see here →

2. Barcelona Boat Show – Yachts, Catamarans & More

What’s On: Barcelona's International Boat Show takes place at Port Vell this week, with a huge selection of boats on display, from luxury yachts and catamarans to smaller sailing boats and cruisers.

There’ll also be exhibitors showing off the latest marine technology, equipment and accessories, with plenty to see whether you’re into sailing or just fancy having a look around.

📅 When: Now until Sunday from 10am–7pm
📍 Where: Port Vell

For more info see here →

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3. Barcelona Dibuixa – 40+ Drawing Workshops Across the City

What’s On: Barcelona Dibuixa (draws) takes place this weekend, with more than 40 cultural venues across the city hosting drawing workshops for all ages and abilities.

There’ll be everything from creating self portraits & collaborative comics to experimenting with different drawing techniques, with activities led by professional artists.

You don't need to be good at drawing either. Which is reassuring for some of us.

📅 When: Saturday & Sunday, 17th –18th October
📍 Where: Various locations across Barcelona

For more info see here →

Plan Ahead: Barcelona Fringe – Stand-Up Comedy at Casino Barcelona

What’s On: The Barcelona Fringe Festival kicks off in November, with comedians from around the world performing across the city.

Opening weekend includes Irish comedian Mike Rice, known for his dark humour, performing his nearly sold out show Cruel Little Man show on Friday 6th November.

On Saturday, there's also Best of the Fringe, featuring a selection of comedians performing at this year's festival. A good way to sample what's on offer without committing to a full show.

There's also a 2 for 1 ticket offer for Saturday's show.

📅 When: 6th – 15th November, 8pm
📍 Where: Casino Barcelona, Port Olímpic

For more info see here →  

Also Happening This Weekend

🎶 Music, Parties & Nightlife
Mixtur Festival (Various Locations) – Experimental music festival with live concerts, electronic music, sound installations & talks (15th–25th Oct).

Charity Gospel Concert (Monestir de Valldonzella) – Live gospel choir performance raising money to help children with serious illnesses (Sun, 6pm).

SOUNDIT Plaza (La Monumental) – Open-air electronic music festival with international DJs & food stalls in a former bullring (Sat, from 4pm).

Ciutat Flamenco Festival (Various Locations) – Flamenco festival featuring live music, dance performances & workshops (starts Fri 16th Oct).

🛍️ Food, Drinks, Markets & Shopping
Zoco Market (Plaça Sant Vicenç de Sarrià) – Free outdoor market selling fashion, jewellery, home décor, beauty products & more (Fri–Sun).

Soul Market (Port Olímpic) – Seaside market with 20+ stalls selling local fashion, art & crafts, plus food trucks, live music & DJs (Sat & Sun).

Akilo Store (Poblenou) – Second-hand clothing market with everything sold by weight, from €25/kg on Friday to €15/kg on Sunday (Fri–Sun).

Ovella Negra Market (Poblenou) – Second-hand market with bargain finds priced at €1–€2 (Sun).

Los 22 del Market (Poblenou) – Second-hand market for bargain hunters, with clothes and other pre-loved finds (Sun).

The Wedding Market (Torre Bellesguard) – Boho-chic wedding fair in a Gaudí-designed building, with 50+ brands showcasing dresses, decorations, cakes & more (Sat & Sun).

FESC'26 – Solidarity Economy Festival (Parc de l'Estació del Nord) – Free festival with live music, markets, food, workshops & kids' activities (Sat & Sun).

Second-Hand & Antique Book Fair (Passeig de Gràcia) – 29 stalls selling second-hand books, rare editions, manuscripts & out-of-print finds (16th Oct– 1st Nov).

Westfield Days (Glories) – Free gaming & beauty weekend with retro arcades, 1v1 gaming battles, Korean facial massages, nail art & more (Fri & Sat).

Mercat de Colom Vintage Market (Port Vell) – Browse vintage jewellery, cameras, watches, antiques, military memorabilia and collectibles (Fri–Sun).

🎨 Culture & Experiences
StarFans Culture Festival (Mercat de Sant Antoni) – Free pop culture festival with cosplay, superheroes, sci-fi characters, talks & a costume parade (Sat & Sun).

Barcelona Design Week (Various Locations) – Design festival with exhibitions, installations, workshops, talks & creative experiences (14th –26th Oct).

Barcelona Climate Week (Various Locations) – Week-long festival tackling climate change, with talks, workshops, walks, dinners & community events (Ends 19th Oct).

Flaix de Tardor Festival (Various Theatres) – International theatre & contemporary dance festival (16th–29 Oct).

BCN Ciutat Diversa (Arc de Triomf) – Free multicultural festival celebrating Barcelona’s diversity, with workshops, exhibitions, parades, games & talks (Sun, 11am–7pm).

Dansat Festival (Sant Andreu) – Contemporary dance festival with indoor performances, free outdoor shows & a family-friendly interactive dance show (16–25 Oct).

Halloween at Tibidabo (Tibidabo) – Halloween celebrations with zombie shows, horror movie characters, a haunted hotel & more (Now until 8th Nov).

Creepy Halloween Family (Poble Espanyol) – Family-friendly Halloween event with spooky creatures, costumes, games & surprises (Sat & Sun until 1st Nov).

International Puppet Festival (El Born) – Puppet shows from theatre companies, combining puppetry, shadow theatre, music & comedy (Fri–Sun until 1st Nov).

Escena – Barcelona Districte Cultural (Various Locations) – Free theatre, dance, live music & family shows at cultural centres across the city (Now until 19th Dec).

Cirque du Soleil's KURIOS (L’Hospitalet) – Steampunk-inspired circus show with acrobatics, comedy, live music & elaborate sets (Until 18th Oct).

Jardí Geològic (Les Corts) – open-air museum exploring geology and Earth science, with rock displays and interactive exhibits (Free, open daily).

La Model Prison (Esquerra de l’Eixample) – Former prison turned public space, open for free visits where you can explore its cells and learn about its history.

🌞 Outdoors & Active
Cros Popular de Sants (Sants) – Annual 10km running race with shorter races for children & inclusive events for people with disabilities (Sun, from 9:30am).

Juguem a les Places (Various Locations) – Free outdoor play spaces for kids & families across almost 50 Barcelona squares, with toys, games & activities.

Barcelona Night Skate Routes – Free guided skate routes through Barcelona every Friday night, starting from Vila Olímpica & led by volunteer skaters (Fri, 10pm).


📅  Plan Ahead
Fiesta del Cine (Various Cinemas) – Enjoy the latest films for just €3.50 a ticket at participating cinemas across Barcelona (Mon–Thu, 19th–22nd Oct).

SYNTHONY (Palau Sant Jordi) – Dance music anthems from Avicii, Calvin Harris & David Guetta performed by a live orchestra, DJs & vocalists (Wed, 21st Oct, 8:30pm).

48h Open House Barcelona (Various Locations) – 250+ buildings across the city open their doors for free, including places normally closed to public. (Sat 24th & Sun 25th Oct).

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That’s all for this week, have a great weekend!

— Mark and Alex

P.S. Here are three ways we can help you👇

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