What's On Barcelona: 31st July - 2nd August

Bon dia!

Did you see there were brown bears spotted in the Pyrenees? Forgive my ignorance, but I had no idea we even had them in Spain!

You'd think summer would be a quiet time for events in Barcelona, but this weekend proves otherwise. There's still loads happening across the city!

Here’s What’s On.

- Mark

⛅️ Weather

Fri ☀️ 29°/25° Sat ☀️ 30°/26° ☀️ Sun 31°/26°

1. Nits en Viu - Tribute Nights at Poble Espanyol

What’s On: Poble Espanyol’s summer music series Nits en Viu, 4 themed nights each week, all packed with live music, food, and dancing under the stars.

Thu 30th Jul – Rock&Grill
Tribute bands perform songs by the Rolling Stones and The Beatles, alongside outdoor food, drinks and plenty of classic-rock nostalgia.
More info here →

Fri 31st July – Queens’ Nights: Madonna Tribute
A live tribute to Madonna, plus DJs, food trucks and a chill-out area. Other Fridays celebrate Tina Turner, ABBA and Amy Winehouse.
More info here →

Sat 1st Aug – Fritanga!
Live rumba from Tumbalotó Quartet, DJ Txarly Brown, tapas, drinks and a relaxed summer atmosphere until late.
More info here →

Wed 5th Aug – Fiesta Caribe
Salsa and bachata with live music from Eurosalsa, professional dancers, tropical food and a Latin DJ after the concert.
More info here →

📍 Where: Poble Espanyol

2. Circuit Festival - 9 Day LGBTQ+ Festival

What’s On: The world's largest LGBTQ+ festival is back in Barcelona with 9 days of parties, DJs, pool events & performances. Highlights include the Water Park Day at Illa Fantasia, alongside events at venues including Razzmatazz, Input and Fira Gran Via.

📅 When: Sat 1st – Sun 9th August
📍 Where: Various venues across Barcelona

For more info see here →

Catalonia Beyond Fuet: The King Who Left No Heir [AD]

Gossip girl here, your one and only source into the scandalous lives of the elite Catalan ancient monarchy.

Yes, in case you didn’t know Barcelona had a monarchy back in the day. The last king was Martí l’Humà (Martin the Humane) and he died on the 31st of July 1410 without a male child that could become the new rei (king). Poor Martí...

What happened to him? He married Maria de Luna in 1372 and they had four children: Martí, Jaume, Joan, and Margarida. All of them died prematurament (prematurely), except for Martí. However, Martí (el fill; the son) died in 1409. So, there was no hereu (heir). Then, Martí l’Humà married Margarida de Prades and they tried to have a son. Unfortunately, they failed. And you already know what happened next. Bad luck, M.

What’s on Barcelona? Well, there’s been a lot of drama and tragedy throughout the years. That’s for sure. How do we spell ‘drama’ in catalan? That’s easy: D-R-A-M-A.

You know you love me.  

xo xo GOSSIP GIRL
(noia tafanera)

Content by the Ministry Language Policy

3. Ecuador National Day Festival

What’s On: Celebrate Ecuador's National Day with live music, folkloric dance, traditional food and Latin DJs at Parc del Fòrum. Tickets required.

📅 When: Sun 2nd Aug (from 1pm)
📍 Where: Parc del Fòrum

For more info see here →

Plan Ahead: Sant Pau Chamber Music Festival in Sept

What’s On: The Sant Pau Modernist Site hosts six days of chamber music, with performances by musicians from leading European orchestras. Expect works by Bach, Debussy, Schubert and contemporary composer Max Richter in the stunning Art Nouveau setting. I feel like any event at Sant Pau sells out quick, so thought I’d give you a heads up on this now.

📅 When: Tue 15th – Wed 23rd Sept
📍 Where: Sant Pau Modernist Site (obviously)

More info here →

Also Happening This Weekend

🎶 Music, Parties & Nightlife
Bresh Open Air (Poble Espanyol) – Open-air party with reggaeton, Latin pop, dancehall, electronic music, glitter and non-stop hits (Sat, 6pm–1am).

Talents Jazz at La Pedrera (Passeig de Gràcia) – Rooftop jazz concerts at Gaudí’s La Pedrera, featuring emerging jazz artists plus cava & attic access (Fri).

MASiMAS Festival (Various Venues) – Live jazz, funk, soul, hip-hop and Afro-Latin music across six iconic Barcelona venues (Until 6th Sept).

🎬 Film & Outdoor Cinema
Beach Cinema at Sant Sebastià (Barceloneta) – Free cinema on the beach with screenings of films in original language & Spanish subtitles (Thurs until 30th July).

Montjuïc Open Air Cinema (Montjuïc) – Open-air cinema beneath Montjuïc Castle, with a live concert before every screening. Most screenings are sold out, but keep an eye out for resale tickets (Until 5th Aug).

Open-Air Cinema at L'Illa Diagonal (Les Corts) – Summer outdoor cinema with weekly screenings in the gardens of Sant Joan de Déu (Thu, doors 9pm, film 10pm).

Mecal Air (Poblenou) – Free open-air short film screenings every Friday night, with themed sessions including comedy, animation and creative advertising (Until 28th Aug).

Filmoteca family cinema (El Raval) – Free weekend screenings at the Filmoteca. (Sat & Sun).

Finestrelles Summer Cinema (Esplugues de Llobregat) – Free outdoor cinema with weekly family-friendly films every Saturday evening (Until 12th Sept).

Family Cinema at the CCCB (El Raval) – Free screenings of animated & experimental short films exploring cities, every Wednesday & Saturday (Until 5th Sept).

🛍️ Food, Drinks, Markets & Shopping
Barcelona Vegan Fair (Ciutat Vella) – Vegan market with street food, crafts, cosmetics, clothing, animal welfare groups and local makers (Sun, 12pm–5pm).

Vintage Clothes Market (Poblenou) – Huge sale with thousands of vintage items from €2, falling to €1 on the final day (Fri–Sun).

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

🎨 Culture & Experiences
Tibidabo Laser Show (Tibidabo) – Nightly laser, light and music show in Plaça dels Somnis (From Fri, 9:30pm, on park opening days).

Free Star Wars Exhibition (Passeig de Gràcia) – Original film props, life-size figures, ships & rare collectibles from one of Spain's largest private collections (Ends 18th Sept).

Yamato Taiko Drummers (Teatre Apolo) – World-renowned Japanese percussion group, part of Grec Festival, with giant taiko drums & explosive rhythms (Ends 2nd Aug).

Grec Festival (Various Locations) – BCN's biggest performing arts festival, with theatre, music, dance, circus & performances across the city (Until 31st July).

Shakespeare in the Park (Parc de l'Estació del Nord) – Free open-air performances of a modern adaptation of Hamlet, every Thursday to Monday evening (Until 3rd Aug).

Emerging Art Festival (Various Locations) – 50+ exhibitions & events showcasing up-and-coming artists in galleries and art spaces across Barcelona (Until 3rd Sept).

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.

Antarctica Experience (Plaça d'Espanya) – Escape the heat at this immersive exhibition exploring Antarctica through 360° projections, sounds & real footage.

🌞 Outdoors & Active
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).

🖼️Free Entry to Museums
On the first Sunday of the month many museums offer free entry. Here’s a list + opening times, but double check their websites as some may require pre-registration.

Pabellón Mies Van der Rohe (10am - 6pm)
Museo Picasso (9am - 7pm)
Ethnological and Cultural Museum of the World (10pm - 7:30pm)
Foto Colectania (11pm - 3pm)
Museo Marítimo de Barcelona (3pm - 7pm)
MUHBA (3pm onward)
Museo Nacional de Arte de Cataluña (3pm onward)
Barcelona Design Museum (3pm - 8pm)
CCCB (3pm - 8pm)
Montjuïc Castle (10am – 6pm)

💼 Jobs of the Week

PR & Marketing Manager at AIRE Ancient Baths
_{Lead PR, partnerships and marketing for AIRE's luxury bathhouses in Barcelona and Vallromanes.}
^{See the role →}
HR Trainee at Ecolab
_{Kick-start your HR career supporting global HR systems, projects and employee operations.}
<sup>See the role →

Find more jobs like this on BarcelonaJobs.com</sup>

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

— Mark

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