Festivals & Events in Barcelona
Revetlla de Sant Joan
On the night of June 23rd to 24th, Barcelona catches fire: more than 92,000 people packed the beaches in 2025 (Guàrdia Urbana). Free street parties across all ten districts, coca de Sant Joan, cava, firecrackers and the Flama del Canigó brought down from the Pyrenees. June 24th is a public holiday throughout Catalonia. Here's how to enjoy it without nasty surprises.
Primavera Sound
Primavera Sound is a paid mega-festival that fills Barcelona's Parc del Fòrum in early June. Founded in 2001, it now draws around 75,000 people a day with an international lineup of indie, electronic, hip hop and pop. It isn't free: you get in with a full pass or a day ticket, and it usually sells out months ahead.
Festa Major de Gràcia
The Festa Major de Gràcia is Barcelona's most iconic neighbourhood festival — and it's completely free. From 15 to 21 August 2026 (with the pregó on Friday 14), 23 streets in the barrio compete with themed decorations that local residents spend months building from recycled materials. Over 600 free activities: concerts, castells, correfoc and gegants.
Santa Eulàlia
Santa Eulàlia, co-patron of Barcelona alongside the Mare de Déu de la Mercè, gives her name to the city's winter festa major: four days around 12 February with gegants, castells, correfoc and sardanes in the Barri Gòtic. Nearly a hundred events, all free and open to the public, and far less crowded than La Mercè.
Sónar
Sónar is Barcelona's electronic music and multimedia art festival, founded in 1994 and now a global benchmark with over 30 editions. It is a ticketed event held normally in mid-June, combining live performances, DJ sets, installations, and the technology congress Sónar+D. Dates and lineups are announced each year at sonar.es.
La Mercè
La Mercè is Barcelona's greatest festival, centred around 24 September (a local public holiday). Five days, over 500 free and open-access events: castellers, gegants, correfoc, concerts and a closing piromusical. Everything happens in the street, no tickets required. Check dates and the line-up for the next edition at barcelona.cat/lamerce.
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