What's On Barcelona: 17th - 19th April

Good morning Barcelona! ¿Qué tal?

Last week I shared a link to a live webcam to one of the towers in Sagrada Família where peregrine falcons have nested. Well, since then the eggs have hatched, and there are now falcon chicks! You can see for yourself here 🐣 

This week the band The Strokes, announced a concert in Barcelona on October 20th at Palau Sant Jordi, but as for this weekend, here’s What’s On.

- Mark

⛅️ Weather

Fri ⛅ 19°/13° Sat ⛅ 20°/14° ☀️ Sun 21°/14°

1. Sagrada Família’s Neighbourhood Festival (Festa Major)

What’s On: The Sagrada Família neighbourhood festival starts this weekend, with parades, live music and classic Catalan traditions taking over the streets.

Highlights include the opening parade on Friday, correfoc (fire run) on Saturday, plus giant figure parades, a farmers’ market and traditional Catalan dances on Sunday.

📅 When: Starts Friday, ends Sunday 26th April.
📍 Where: Around the Sagrada Família neighbourhood

Full program can be found here → (PDF)

2. Barcelona Cocktail Fest – Pop Up Bars & DJs

What’s On: A cocktail festival is taking over Palo Alto this weekend, bringing together some of the world’s best bars for two days of drinks, food and music.

Expect pop-up bars from top cocktail spots around the world, street food, DJs throughout the day, plus masterclasses, talks and a sustainable market, all focused on pushing the future of the drinks scene.

📅 When: Saturday and Sunday (12pm–8pm)
📍 Where: Palo Alto (Poblenou)

For more info see here → 

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📅 When: Wednesday 29th April at 7pm
📍 Where: Eixample (exact location revealed on the morning)

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3. OFFF Barcelona – Digital Creativity Festival

What’s On: A digital creativity festival is taking over the Disseny Hub this weekend, bringing together designers, artists and creative studios from around the world for talks, workshops and exhibitions across digital art, AI and design.

The highlight is ‘The Screen’, a free projection mapping show that turns the Disseny Hub into a giant digital canvas at night.

📅 When: Thursday until Saturday from 10am–8pm (projection from 9pm to 11pm)
📍 Where: Disseny Hub Barcelona (Glòries)

For more info see here →

4. Cor de Vi – Wine & Food Street Festival

What’s On: A wine and food festival is popping up in Eixample this Saturday, bringing together local wineries, restaurants and food stalls for a full day of tasting.

Expect wines from across Spain and beyond, food from neighbourhood spots, live music, DJ sets in the evening and guided wine tastings throughout the day.

📅 When: Saturday (12pm–12am)
📍 Where: Girona x Consell de Cent (Eixample)

For more info see here → 

5. Rosalía Live at Palau Sant Jordi

What’s On: Rosalía is performing at Palau Sant Jordi this week as part of her LUX Tour, her biggest global tour to date.

Expect a high energy live show with new music from her latest album, alongside her biggest hits.

📅 When: Friday and Saturday at 8:30pm
📍 Where: Palau Sant Jordi

For more info see here →

Also Happening This Weekend

🍺 Food & Drink Events

9 Birras Fest (Nou Barris) – Beer festival in Plaça Major de Nou Barris with a selection of brewers and drinks throughout the day (Sat, 11am–12am).

The Champions Burger (La Maquinista) – Burger festival with 20+ top spots competing for the best burger in the city, with food trucks & live cooking (Ends Sunday).

🎶 Music, Parties & Nightlife

AMEBA Festival (Poble Espanyol) – Electronic music festival with local DJs & live acts, daytime sets, experimental sounds & a late-night party at La Terrrazza (Sat–Sun).

Barcelona Psych Fest (Various Venues) – Psychedelic music festival with live bands, DJs and immersive visuals across three days (Thu–Sat).

🛍️ Markets & Shopping

Port Flea Market (Port Olímpic) – Second-hand market with 100+ stalls, vintage fashion, local brands, food, live music and workshops by the sea (Sun, 11am–8pm).

Sarria Market (Sarrià) – Boutique market with local brands, fashion, food, live music and a garden bar set in a hidden courtyard (Fri–Sun).

€1 Rave Market (Nau Bostik) – Second-hand market with 8,000+ items of clothing at €1, plus live DJs and clothing customisation (Sun, 10am–7pm, €3 entry).

Los 22 Market (Poblenou) – Vintage and second-hand market with 40+ sellers and thousands of items, with prices capped at €30 (Sun, 11am–7pm).

Pre-Sant Jordi Book Market (Sant Antoni) – Sunday book market with 2nd hand, vintage & collectible books ahead of Sant Jordi (Sun, 8:30am–2pm).

🎨 Culture & Experiences

080 Barcelona Fashion Week (Port Vell) – Fashion event with runway shows from 25+ designers set against a waterfront backdrop (Ends Friday).

Science Festival (El Born / Ciutadella) – Free festival with 180+ science activities including experiments, workshops, games & an escape rooms (Sat–Sun).

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.

The Last Days of Pompeii (IDEAL Montjuïc) – Immersive exhibition recreating Pompeii with 360° projections, VR and sound, including a dramatic Vesuvius eruption finale.

BCN Film Fest (Various Locations) – Film festival featuring international films inspired by literature & history, with screenings, premieres & special guests. (Ends April 24th).

🌞 Outdoors & Active

Barcelona Open (Pedralbes) – Major tennis tournament featuring top players like Carlos Alcaraz, with matches building up to the final this weekend (Sat–Sun).

Down Urban Barcelona (Montjuïc) – Mountain bike riders race down the steps & streets of Montjuïc, from Olympic Stadium to the Magic Fountain (Sat 10:30am–12pm)

MTB Eliminator World Cup (Montjuïc) – Short, high-speed mountain bike races where riders compete head-to-head on a tight urban style course (Sat 1:20pm–4:15pm).

🌹 Plan Ahead: Sant Jordi

Sant Jordi (April 23rd) celebrates Saint George, the patron saint of Catalonia. The city fills with book and rose stalls, and it’s tradition to give a book and a rose.

Many places have open days, I’ve listed a few highlights below.

Free Entry for Jordis at Sagrada Família – Anyone named Jordi, Jordina or any international equivalent (e.g. George) can visit the Sagrada Família for free with a guest on Sant Jordi. (Wed, Apr 23, prior registration required).

Free Entry at Sant Pau Modernist Site – Free open day with access to the historic site, plus exhibitions and activities exploring its architecture and restoration (Wed, Apr 23rd, pre-registration required).

Free Entry: Palau Güell – Free entry to Gaudí’s Palau Güell for Sant Jordi, with timed tickets required in advance (Wed, Apr 23rd, 10am–8pm).

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

— Mark

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