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An insider's guide to the best festivals and events in Barcelona, including Sónar Festival, the Primavera Sound Festival and the annual Dancing Egg event. By Sally Davies, Telegraph Travel's Barcelona expert.
Calendar of festivals and events 2018
Semana Santa (Holy Week)
March 25- April 1
Easter isn’t celebrated in Catalunya with quite as much pageantry as in the south of Spain, but there are a series of processions on Good Friday. The previous Sunday (Palm Sunday, or diumenge de rams) is when most Catalans head to the cathedral bearing palm branches, which are blessed for good luck.
Primavera Sound Festival
May 30- June 3
Fast catching up with big sister Sónar in terms of numbers and popularity, Primavera Sound, held at the Fòrum area in the north of the city, is a celebration of pop, rock and – above all – all things indie. Previous editions have included, Radiohead, Patti Smith, Arcade Fire, Grace Jones and The XX. This year's line-up to be announced.
Prices: weekend tickets €195
Contact: primaverasound.com
The Dancing Egg
Mid June
‘L’Ou Com Balla’ is one of Barcelona’s most charming annual events, and takes place for a few days around Corpus Christi. Various church cloisters and patios of some especially lovely buildings (open to the public for the occasion) are garlanded with flowers, and particularly their fountains, where a hollowed-out egg dances endlessly on a high spout of water.
Contact: bcn.cat
Sónar Festival
June 14-16
The International Festival of Advanced Music and New Media Art runs for three days over two main venues: the trade fair grounds at Plaça Espanya in Barcelona and a string of hangar-like spaces out in L’Hospitalet, on the outskirts of the city. Previous line ups have included the Chemical Brothers, Autechre, Kate Tempest and Fat Freddy's Drop, along with a host of smaller bands and lesser known DJs.
Contact: sonar.es
Sant Joan
June 23-24
The feast of St John is the big party night of the year, when vast quantities of cava are consumed, bonfires are lit (illegally) on the streets and beach, and fireworks fill the night sky all the way through to dawn. The 24th is a public holiday and possibly the quietest day of the year.
La Diada
Sept 11
The Catalan National Day has been celebrated with increased fervour as the independence movement picks up momentum. Expect marches, demos and free concerts in the streets, but avoid trouble spots – Plaça Catalunya and the Via Laietana are often scenes of scuffles with the police.
