What's On Barcelona: 22nd - 24th May

Bon Dia!

I hope you’ve had a good week, here are your main updates for this weekend.

Do you like running? Yeah me neither, but for those that do, applications for Barcelona’s Half Marathon next February opened this week.

Bad Bunny is in BCN this weekend. Good luck getting tickets because it’s completely sold out (although I did mention it in the newsletter when it was first announced 👀).

And if you can play the piano, there’ll be 10 pianos across the city on Friday that anyone can sit down & play. More on that, and everything else happening this weekend below.

- Mark

⛅️ Weather

Fri ☀️ 24°/19° Sat ⛅ 24°/19° ⛅ Sun 26°/19°

1. Croqueta Crush Festival at Poble Espanyol

What’s On: A croquette festival is taking over Poble Espanyol this weekend (yes, really), bringing 14 different croquette varieties from 7 restaurants, alongside tapas, cocktails, live music and DJ sets.

There’ll also be workshops, beer tastings, sweet food stalls and activities throughout the day, with visitors even able to vote for Barcelona’s best croqueta.

It’s free to attend, or you can buy a ticket that includes food and drink.

📅 When: Fri–Mon
📍 Where: Poble Espanyol

More info here →

2. Correfoc, Drummers & DJs at Les Corts Spring Festival

What’s On: Les Corts is hosting its annual spring correfoc on Saturday night, with fire runs, drummers, devils and a huge final bonfire taking over the neighbourhood streets.

The evening starts with a traditional drum parade before the correfoc begins at 9pm, finishing with a street party and DJ set in Plaça Concòrdia.

📅 When: Saturday evening
📍 Where: Les Corts

For more info see here → 

Catalonia Beyond Fuet: Spring Flowers & Catalan Words [AD]

Flowers are blooming everywhere at the moment, so here’s a little spring vocabulary for you: margarida (daisy), espígol (lavender), tulipa (tulip), lliri (lily), rosella (poppy).

Now, roselles are basically the queens of spring in Catalonia, and the funny thing is that depending on where you are, people call them completely different names: pipiripip, gallgallaret, gallet…

And if there’s one person who knew how to write about flowers, emotions, and everyday life in the most beautiful way, it was Mercè Rodoreda. She’s one of the most loved Catalan writers, with books translated into more than 30 languages, and a pretty fascinating life story too.

If you want to discover her world a bit more, head to CCCB, where there’s an exhibition about her until the 25th of this month. And if you’re wandering around Gràcia, stop by Plaça del Diamant. Her famous novel La Plaça del Diamant is named after the square, and there’s even a sculpture of its unforgettable protagonist, Colometa (pictured above).

For more resources on learning Catalan see here →

Content by the Department of Language Policy

3. Free Champions League Final Screening at Glòries

What’s On: Barcelona is putting up a giant screen in Parc de les Glòries this Saturday so people can watch the Women’s Champions League Final together for free, as Barça take on Lyon in Oslo.

Expect a big atmosphere, picnic blankets and plenty of stressed fans.

📅 When: Saturday from 6pm
📍 Where: Parc de les Glòries

For more info see here →

4. 10 Grand Pianos Are Being Placed Across Barcelona This Friday

What’s On: Barcelona is placing 10 grand pianos across the city on Friday, letting anyone sit down and play them throughout the day (or just stand nearby and listen).

The pianos will be spread across Consell de Cent, Passeig de Sant Joan and Arc de Triomf as part of a project designed to bring music and culture into public spaces.

📅 When: Friday
📍 Where: Across Barcelona

For more info see here →

Plan Ahead: Meet New People at What’s On BCN’s Dinner Club

What’s On: Meeting new people in Barcelona can be surprisingly difficult. After the success of our first Dinner Club last month, we’re running it again to help bring together people who are actually likely to get along.

You’ll take a short personality quiz, then we’ll match you with 5 compatible people for dinner at a surprise restaurant in Barcelona.

Open to everyone from all ages & backgrounds, you can even bring a plus one.

^{⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ "Great experience all round! Arrangements were clear, timeous & sufficient. The people were well matched & it didn’t feel strained at all. I thoroughly enjoyed the evening & hope there will be many more opportunities to sign up for more dinners in the future!" - Angie}

📅 When: Next Wednesday 27th May at 7pm
📍 Where: Eixample (exact location revealed on the day)

For more info see here →

Also Happening This Weekend

🎶 Music, Parties & Nightlife

Brunch Electronik (Poble Espanyol) – Electronic music festival with DJs, food, drinks & dancing to close out the spring season (Sun, 4pm–10pm).

🛍️ Markets & Shopping

Taste-It Italian Festival (Port of Barcelona) – Italian food festival with street food, Aperol Spritz, DJs, live music and cooking workshops (Sat, midday–1am).

Westfield Reloved Market (Glòries) – Sustainable fashion market where influencers sell clothes from their own wardrobes (Sat & Sun).

Soul Market (Port Olímpic) – Seaside market with local fashion brands, art, food trucks, DJs, live music. (Sat & Sun).

Viva Vintage A La Fresca (Sagrada Família) – Vintage market with 50 stalls, vinyl records, DJs, street food and craft beer (Sun, 11am–8pm).

La Puça del Clot de la Mel (Clot) – Vintage & second-hand market with 100+ stalls, fashion, accessories and pre-loved finds (Sun, 10am–8pm).

🎨 Culture & Experiences

Santa Rita Rose Blessing at Casa Vicens (Gràcia) – Casa Vicens is opening its gardens for free as part of Barcelona’s long-running Santa Rita tradition (Fri morning).

Literal Festival (Sant Andreu) – Book & ideas festival with talks, workshops & a market featuring 5,000+ books from independent publishers & bookstores (Sat & Sun).

Mecal Pro Short Film Festival (Poblenou) – Free international short film & animation festival with outdoor screenings, and workshops (Until 31st May).

Wallay! African Film Festival (Raval) – African film festival at the Filmoteca de Catalunya showcasing movies, documentaries & comedies (Ends Sunday).

Jardí Geològic (Les Corts) – New 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.

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

World’s Largest Balloon Exhibition (Poblenou) – Immersive exhibition made from 600,000 balloons, with sculptures & interactive rooms to explore.

Montjuïc Open Air Cinema (Montjuïc) – Open-air cinema returning this July with films, live music & picnic space at Montjuïc Castle (10th July–5th Aug, tickets now on sale).

🌞 Outdoors & Active

Social Padel Fest – Social padel event with DJs, drinks bringing together Barcelona’s growing padel community for an afternoon of matches and music (Sat, 12pm–4pm).

Diagonal DiR Race – Running event taking over Avinguda Diagonal, with 5K, 10K and kids races stretching from Pedralbes down towards the sea (Sat & Sun).

Outdoor Board Game Space at Glòries – Free open-air board game area with 100+ games you can borrow and play in the park (Sat, 10am–2pm & Sun, 4pm–8pm).

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

👨‍👩‍👧 For Kids

Espai Super3 (Sagrada Família) – New immersive experience for children aged 2–12, combining 4D technology, theatre and interactive storytelling. Opens today (Thurs)

💼 Jobs of the Week

Senior Content Designer at Skyscanner
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CS Transformation & Automation Lead at Wallapop
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That’s all for this week, have a great weekend!

— Mark

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