Thinking of heading to Barcelona in summer? Why not take in one of the city’s many summer festivals
*This article has been written in collaboration with Auston, from Two Bad Tourists
What better excuse to pay a visit to everyone’s favorite sun-soaked city than one of its many annual festivals. Every year Barcelona hosts an eclectic mix of events that cater to whatever you might be into. Whether your thing is rock, techno or you just crave that unique festival vibe only getting sweaty under the sun with like-minded strangers can achieve, then Barcelona is the place to be each summer. With so much choice on offer, it’s wise to pick a favorite and plan your trip around it accordingly. Then who knows, you might even have a little time after for some hungover sightseeing or quality beach time.
Sonar
Sonar is one of Barcelona’s most well-known festivals and internationally renowned for its creative approach in presenting emerging trends in electronic music to the world. Taking place in early June within two open-air locations in central Barcelona – one by day and the other by night – Sonar boasts the very best in world-class DJs and electronic music artists. The live music blends in effortlessly with innovative technology expositions and engaging speakers. Between the sets of your favorite DJs you are free to step inside from the summer skies, buy a beer and explore installations showcasing all sorts of weird and wonderful technological artistry. At nightfall Sonar switches location to where the best DJs are accompanied by mind-blowing light shows that are guaranteed to keep you raving till the early morning. And then there´s the afterparties!
Primavera Sound Barcelona
Primavera Sound is the other side of Barcelona´s festival coin. Now an international phenomenon with events in Los Angeles, Buenos Aires, Porto, Santiago, Sao Paulo, Benidorm and Madrid, it is Barcelona where it all started. Over its many years Primavera Sound Barcelona has hosted a varied mix of bands and artists – ranging from pop divas to hip hop alumni to rock legends. Just last year saw the likes of Dua Lipa, The Strokes, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Grimes and Meghan Thee Stallion grace its multiple stages. Taking place in Barcelona´s Parc Del Forum just off the beach, Primavera Sound is one of the world´s most popular music festivals for good reason. Music lovers flock from all over the world to Barcelona for the weekend in June, so be sure to book your tickets and accommodation way in advance to avoid missing out on an extremely popular event.
Barcelona Beach Festival
Why choose between a day on the beach OR live music when you can have both. Hundreds of tourists and locals alike lather on the sunscreen every July and head down to the beach for Barcelona Beach Festival. Barcelona has some of the best city beaches. Enjoy your favorite DJs whilst simultaneously working on your tan under the Barcelona summer sun. As the name implies, this festival actually takes place on one of Barcelona’s beaches, Platja Del Forum, in the north of the city. Previous line-ups have included the very biggest names in EDM, such as international superstars David Guetta, Armin Van Burri and Allan Walker. The music doesn’t stop as the sun sets over the Mediterranean and neither should you!
Rock Fest Barcelona
Or maybe you´re more at home in a mosh pit than a dancefloor. If you like your music on the heavier side, then Rock Fest might be more your scene. Rock Fest Barcelona takes place in early July. Despite having a metal focus this festival hosts bands from all styles of metal, punk and rock – both old and new. Alice Cooper, Kiss, Nightwish and The Dropkick Murphys played this year and next year’s line-up promises to be just as hard-hitting. This festival is easily accessible from the city center and takes place in a prime location just north of Barcelona´s river “Rio el Besos” in Parc de Can Zam. Get down there and brandish those devil horns.
Brunch in the Park
Festivals come and go every year, but what if you could enjoy that festival feeling every single weekend throughout the summer. Brunch in the Park offers exactly that by running each Sunday throughout May/June to September and is a worthy addition to your trip anytime then. Situated in the gardens of Barcelona´s picturesque MontJuic just below the castle, you can party whilst overlooking the city from one of its best viewpoints. Brunch draws an assorted crowd and is both LGBT+ and family friendly. A wide variety of food stalls mean you can last the day and a rotating cast of DJs and music artists allows you to dance throughout to both local and international talents.
La Merce
If you are looking to sample Catalan culture as well as enjoy live music, then La Merce is the time to visit Barcelona in late September. Named after the city’s patron, La Merce is both a revealing insight into Catalan culture and a completely free citywide party. It’s a good idea to come for the week as a wide selection of weird and wacky events run around the festival’s central day on the 24th of September. Events include a range of music stages scattered all over the city and catering to all genres of music. Parades like ´La Gran Cavalcade de La Merce’ where the city gegants (giant statues) are marched through Barcelona’s streets. Jaw-dropping human towers, who every year aspire to get ever terrifyingly higher. The ´Correfoc´ in which revelers dressed as devils perform street theater involving throwing fireworks at each other and members of the crowd – I kid you not. And finally, the festivities conclude with a breath-taking fireworks display above MontJuic. There really is nothing like it to mark the end of the summer.
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