Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
JUNE
Sónar
Usually 2nd or 3rd week
sonar.es
.
The International Festival of Advanced Music
and Multimedia Art is Europe's biggest and most cutting-edge electronic music, multimedia
and urban art festival, attracting up to 100,000 visitors for three days of brilliant noise and
spectacle. Sónar by day centres on events at Fira Montjuïc; by night the action shifts to
L'Hospitalet, with all-night buses running from the city to the Sónar bars and clubs. Separate
day, night and general tickets available - buy well in advance.
Festa de la Música
June 21.
Every year on this day scores of free concerts are held in
squares, parks, civic centres and museums in every neighbourhood across the city - from
buskers to orchestras, folk to techno. There are concerts in the two or three preceding days
too, so you're bound to catch something you like.
Verbena/DiadeSantJoan
June 23-24.
The “eve” and “day” of St John herald probably the
wildest celebrations in the city, with a “night of fire” of bonfires and fireworks across Bar-
celona. It marks a hedonistic welcome to summer, with parties in full swing in every neigh-
bourhood and pyrotechnics on Montjuïc and Tibidabo.
CocadeSantJoan
, a sweet flatbread,
and cava are the traditional accompaniments to the merriment. The traditional place to end
the night is on the beach, watching the sun come up - thankful that the dawning day (June
24) is a public holiday.
MúsicaalsParcs
June-Aug
barcelonacultura.bcn.cat
.
Morethantwo-dozenparksbecome
venues for evenings of free classical and jazz concerts and performances by the Municipal
Orchestra.
JULY
Festival de Barcelona Grec
July 1-31
barcelonafestival.com
.
Since the 1970s, the sum-
mer's foremost arts and music festival has centred its performances on Montjuïc's open-air
Greek theatre
- a dramatic location for cutting-edge Shakespearean productions or events by
Catalan avant-garde performance artists, while music ranges from the likes of Philip Glass
to African rap. There are also concerts, plays and dance productions at the CCCB and city
theatres - in total, nearly eighty different events held over a five-week period.
AUGUST
Festa Major de Gràcia
Mid-Aug
festamajordegracia.cat
.
What was once a local village
festival is now an annual city highlight, with banging music, boisterous dancing, wackily
decorated floats and streets transformed into magical scenes, plus the usual noisy fireworks,
parades of giants and devils and human castle-building in main squares. The festivities last a
week - don't miss them if you're in town.
