Summer nights in Barcelona

There are four weeks left until it is officially summer, but in the Catalan capital the festival season has already begun, offering us nights full of music and other artistic manifestations, and a lot of fun. The most complicated part? Deciding which ones will be chosen because it is clear that there are many proposals and going to all of them is impossible.The most classicsIt's been 50 years since the city premiered its first summer festival, the Grec Festival of Barcelona. An event for performing arts and music, which began as self-managed by a collective of actors, actresses and theatre people, and has since become a benchmark for theatre in Southern Europe. The Grec will open on June 29th with The Threepenny Opera, by Bertolt Brecht and Kurt Weill, directed by Marta Pazos, and will conclude on July 31st. In total, there will be over 40 venues hosting 99 shows of theatre, music, dance, circus, cinema and performance by classic creators, local artists and major international artists. On July 8th, to mark the 50th anniversary, at the Grec Theatre and the Amargós rose garden, there will be a three-act celebration including a prologue with one of the protagonists of the 1976 Grec –Mario Gas–, the screening of four short films about the history of the Grec Festival Barcelona and a dance in the gardens of the Grec Theatre with music by Losinformalls DJ.Also in the last century, although a few years later, in 1994, one of the most groundbreaking festivals, Sónar, an commitment to electronic and experimental music that has not stopped growing, began. It started by occupying the Centre de Cultura Contemporània de Barcelona (CCCB) and Sala Apolo, and this year, and for the first time in the history of Sónar, the day and night festival meet at Fira Gran Via. Three outdoor stages – the SonarVillage by Estrella Damm with DJ sets and live performances on the grass; the new generation of global club music at SonarPark; and contemporary techno and UK sounds at SonarLab – and three covered stages like SonarClub which will host great shows or SonarHall, which will be a concert hall and club floor. From June 18 to 20, big names from the international scene such as Prodigy, Skepta, Charlotte de Witte, Amelie Lens, STOOR Speedy J, and many more. And as always, for 13 years now, Sonar+D, the international congress of technology, creativity and art invites us to understand the present and imagine the future through conferences, concerts, talks and round tables coexisting with radical performances and interactive exhibitions.It is practically impossible to think of summer and not associate it with thousands of smiling people dancing to the rhythm of music at Parc del Fòrum with the sea as a backdrop. Yes, it is the Primavera Sound Barcelona, which in 2001 was born as an alternative festival for lovers of independent music and has evolved to offer an infinite number of sonic journeys. Last year it reached its historic record, 293,000 spectators for the more than 300 concerts offered. In 2026 there will be 17 stages between June 3 and 7 with Thursday, Friday, and Saturday as the main days, with essential names from the current scene, classic bands, and true gems worth discovering: Doja Cat, Gorillaz, Massive Attack, The xx, My Bloody Valentine, The Cure, Annahstasia, Florence Road or New York, among many others. This year, for the first time, Primavera Sound Barcelona can be followed worldwide thanks to the official streaming from Amazon Music.Also at Parc del Fórum, but from July 8 to 11, the Cruïlla Festival is held. Here, music is the main protagonist with an eclectic program featuring international headliners –Pixies, David Byrne, The Black Crowes, Two Door Cinema Club, Garbage or Suede– and a clear commitment to local talent –Rigoberta Bandini, Zahara, Alizzz, La La Love You, Sidonie or La Ludwig Band–, and emerging artists –Alosa, Greta, Svetlana or Rata. In addition to music, there is space for comedy with established comedians and new talents, urban art, dance, or light installations. Cruïlla is a festival with a strong social commitment, which strives to be more sustainable with each new edition, taking care of the environment and the social and cultural surroundings.