What's On Barcelona: 8th - 10th May

Bon Dia Barcelona!

A couple of bits of Barcelona news before we get into this weekend’s plans.

Firstly, Olivia Rodrigo has just announced she’ll be performing at Palau Sant Jordi in May next year.

Secondly, after CroissantFest last weekend, Barcelona’s best croissants have officially been crowned, they are the Berry Bliss from Takashi Ochiai and the Dracula Croissant from Ciscu's Secret.

As for this weekend, here’s What’s On.

- Mark

⛅️ Weather

Fri ☁️ 19°/14° Sat 🌧️ 19°/15° ☀️ Sun 22°/15°

1. Neighbourhood Festivals in Guinardó, Navas, Clot & La Verneda

What’s On: Several neighbourhood festivals are taking place across Barcelona this weekend, with live music, gegants, outdoor cinema, food events and community celebrations happening across the city.

Highlights include the Clot spring parade with castellers and drummers, outdoor food and music events in La Verneda, plus concerts and cultural activities throughout Guinardó and Navas.

📅 When: Throughout the weekend
📍 Where: Guinardó, Clot, Navas & La Verneda

Use the links below for more info
Guinardó →
Clot→
Navas → 
La Verneda →

2. Taco Fest at Antiga Fàbrica Damm

What’s On: Taco Fest returns to Barcelona this weekend, bringing together 14 of the city’s top taquerías for three days dedicated to tacos, margaritas and Mexican street food culture.

Expect mariachi bands, lucha libre wrestling, DJs, mezcal tastings, spicy sauce challenges and plenty of tacos

📅 When: Friday from 7pm, Saturday & Sunday from 12pm
📍 Where: Antiga Fàbrica Damm

For more info see here → 

Catalan Words, Music & Local Tips for May [AD]

Welcome to May! In Catalan it’s called “maig”. There’s a popular phrase: “Al maig, cada dia un raig”, which means that in May it rains everyday. Let’s hope it doesn’t!

Catalan Vocab
Some vocabulary you may need this month when you go shopping:
Nespres (loquats), maduixes (strawberries), cireres (cherries), tomàquets (tomatoes)

Hola, teniu nespres? (Hi, do you have loquats?)

Catalan hits:
One of the most popular rock bands in Catalan is called ‘Els Pets’ (pictured above) which means “the farts”. Make sure to play these: ‘Està plovent’ (‘it’s raining’). The chorus says: “No tinc paraigües” (I don’t have an umbrella), a sentence you'll probably need these days. And ‘Bon dia’ (good morning), which is perfect to start the day in a good mood, no bad smells included ;)

Learn Catalan:
If you want to practice your speaking, we suggest joining Voluntariat Per la Llengua, a free program that pairs learners with native speakers for informal conversations.

Content by the Department of Language Policy

3. Gràcia Wine Festival at Jardinets de Gràcia

What’s On: Jardinets de Gràcia will host an open-air wine festival this Saturday, with DJs, street food, artisan stalls and wines from across Catalonia taking over the street for the day.

Expect live DJs throughout the afternoon, natural wine vermouths, food from Casa Sidral and plenty of wine tastings. Pets are welcome too.

📅 When: Saturday, 12pm–8pm
📍 Where: Plaça Nicolás Salmerón / Jardinets de Gràcia

For more info see here → 

4. Soundit Plaza – Open-Air Electronic Music

What’s On: An open air electronic music event is taking over La Monumental this Saturday, set inside the city’s former bullring.

Expect a full afternoon and evening of house and electronic music, plus food and drinks, all in one of Barcelona’s more unique venues.

📅 When: Saturday, 3pm–10pm
📍 Where: La Monumental

For more info see here →

5. Eric Clapton at Palau Sant Jordi on Sunday

What’s On: Legendary guitarist and singer-songwriter Eric Clapton will perform in Barcelona this Sunday as part of his 2026 European tour, marking his first concert in Spain in more than 20 years.

Known for classics like Layla and Wonderful Tonight, Clapton remains one of the most influential figures in rock and blues, with a career spanning more than six decades!

📅 When: Sunday at 9pm
📍 Where: Palau Sant Jordi

For more info see here →

Also Happening This Weekend

🎶 Music, Parties & Nightlife

Vermut & Soul (Port Olímpic) – Three day vermouth festival with tapas, live soul music, DJs, tastings and workshops by the sea (Fri–Sun).

Brunch Electronik (Poble Espanyol) – Open-air electronic music event with DJs and live sets across two stages (Sun, 4pm–10pm).

Free Jazz Marathon (L’Auditori) – Free five-hour jazz marathon showcasing local jazz talent, with live performances running throughout the evening (Sun from 5pm).

Fem Jazz Concert (Plaça del Rei) – Free open-air jazz concert celebrating Europe Day, featuring female jazz musicians from across Europe (Sat, 7pm, free).

🛍️ Markets & Shopping

Flea Station (Estació de França) – Vintage market with fashion, accessories & second-hand finds from professional sellers inside Estació de França (Sun, from 11am, €2 entry).

Vegan BCN Festival (Cotxeres de Sants) – Vegan community festival with talks, DJs, workshops, children’s activities and food stalls (Sat, 11:30am–8pm).

La Barrateca Food Fair (Gràcia) – Community food fair with local produce stalls, live cooking demonstrations, artisan drinks, and live performances (Sat from 11am).

Everything for €2 Rave Market (Nau Bostik) – Huge second-hand clothing market with thousands of vintage items, live DJs (Sun, 10am–7pm).

Small Retail Fair (Glòries) – Three-day fair celebrating Barcelona’s local shops and markets, with food stalls, live music, cookery demonstrations (Fri–Sun).

🎨 Culture & Experiences

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

Plants & Drinks (Gràcia) – Botanical social event with live music & a chance to create your own mossarium (Fri, 6pm–9pm, free with registration).

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.

Poblenou Open Day – Free creative festival with exhibitions, live music, DJs, workshops, art spaces & special events taking place (Sat, 11am–11pm).

International New Roses Competition (Parc de Cervantes) – Annual rose festival with thousands of roses in bloom, exhibitions and activities (Fri–Sun).

Concert for Babies at L’Auditori – Live sensory music experience designed for babies & families, featuring gentle melodies & instruments in an intimate setting (Sat & Sun).

World’s Largest Balloon Exhibition (Poblenou) – Immersive exhibition made from 600,000 balloons, with sculptures & interactive rooms to explore (Starts 21st May).

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

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).

El Corte Inglés 10K Run (Diagonal → Plaça Catalunya) – One of Barcelona’s biggest annual running events, with thousands of runners taking over major streets (Sun, 9am).

💼 Jobs of the Week

Senior UI/UX Designer at Gameloft Barcelona
^{Design player experiences and game features for one of the world’s biggest mobile game studios
See the role →}
Product Manager – Data Governance at N26
<sup>Help build the future of banking data products and analytics tools at one of Europe’s leading digital banks
See the role →

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

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

— Mark

Did someone forward this email to you? Sign up here, so you never miss What’s On.