Barcelona Events Calendar: What’s on in Barcelona in 2023

From street parties to traditional festivals to big club nights it’s virtually impossible to get bored here no matter what time of year you visit.

It does however start with a plan – and you’ll get a great one reading my article on Barcelona events sorted by month.

Barcelona Events Calendar by Month for 2023

Barcelona Events in January

• [CAN’T MISS] Kings Day and the 3 Kings Parade: January 5th 2023. The Epiphany in Barcelona is arguably more important than Christmas and it’s celebrated with a huge parade with the 3 Wise Men as the stars. The events start at around 4:30 pm with the arrival of the kings by ship at the Moll de la Fusta dock then at 6:00 pm it hits the streets of the city finishing at 12:30 near the Magic Fountain. If you’re visiting Barcelona with kids this will be a real winner, just be careful with the crowds!
• Festa Mayor de Sant Antoni: January 17th to 26th 2023. Neighbourhood party season starts with a bang and a pet parade with its protector Sant Antoni Abad (La Cabalgada dels Tres Tombs). You’ll also be treated to a craft beer festival and other typical activities: street food, a traditional correfoc fire run, live music concerts, and even a 10k mini-marathon. It all goes down at Portal de Sant Antoni Abat, right next to the newly re-opened modernist Sant Antoni market.
• Foguerons de Sa Pobla: January 17th to 25th 2023. The traditions of Sa Pobla (a tiny village on the island of Mallorca) dictate that they throw a celebration for Saint Anthony with a week’s worth of bonfires, barbecues, and traditional live music to fill the vibrant streets of Barcelona’s authentic Gracia neighbourhood.

What’s on in Barcelona in February

• Festes de Santa Eulalia: February 7th to 12th 2023. Santa Eulalia has been the patron saint of Barcelona since the 17th century and the city continues to pay homage with a huge winter festival complete with parade, the city’s famous human castles (castellers), sardana dancing, and firewalks (correfoc) – a parade of adults and children dressed as devils jumping around in fireworks.
• Valentine’s Day: February 14th 2023. Catalans aren’t the biggest fan of this holiday since their day of romance is Saint George’s Day on April 23rd, but if you’re in town during this time there’s no sense losing an opportunity to plan one of the best romantic things to do in Barcelona.
• Llum BCN: February 14th to 16th 2023. Barcelona’s festival of light goes over the weekend in the streets of Poble Nou, which are transformed into a huge open air light experiment. You’ll find all the visit info here.
• Barcelona Half Marathon: February 16th 2023. This 21 km race covers many famous areas of the city and is a good way to see some of Barcelona’s top sights – and get in shape!
• [CAN’T MISS] Barcelona Carnival in Sitges: February 20th to 26th 2023. In Catalan they call it carnestoltes and especially on weekend nights during the festivities you’ll find parties and costumes all over the city, but the real action goes down in the region’s smaller towns – for this reason we recommend celebrating at the Sitges Carnival.
• Barcelona Carnival: February 20th to 26th 2023. Don’t have time to take in the Sitges version? You can still celebrate Carnival in Barcelona.
• Mobile World Congress: February 24th – 27th 2023. The most important mobile phone technology convention in the world brings tons of techie tourists to the city to make contacts and have tapas on the company card! The convention goes down at Fira Gran Vía (Av. Joan Carles I, L’Hospitalet de Llobregat).

March Events in Barcelona

• Sant Medir: March 3rd 2023. This popular festival in the Gracia neighbourhood is known best for its truckloads of candies and desserts thrown to visitors from live music-playing floats, trucks, and even horses! Get a front row seat especially if you have kids, just expect a visit to the dentist when you get back home.
• Spannabis: March 12th 2023. This huge convention dedicated to the world of cannabis and its associated products is not just a place to discover the latest technology in the industry, but a great place to take in concerts and meet like-minded people. It goes down in the suburb of Cornella and costs €18.00 for a one day ticket. 
• Barcelona Marathon: March 19th 2023. The 5th biggest marathon in Europe takes you on a 42 km journey that checks off quite a few things on any well-planned Barcelona itinerary. If you’re interested in signing up check out the Zurich Barcelona Marathon homepage.
• D’A Film Festival: March 23rd – April 2nd 2023. Barcelona’s independent film festival takes place at the Centre of Contemporary Culture (CCCB) and the Aribau cinema.
• Barcelona Comic Fair: March 31st – April 2nd 2023. The Saló Internacional del Còmic de Barcelona is the most important date on any Spanish comic collector’s calendar. Just get to the Fira de Montjuic and you’ll find over a dozen conferences, 29 author meetups, and 180+ exhibitors over 50,000 square meters of floor space.

Cultural Events in Barcelona – April

• Easter: April 9th 2023. While it won’t be as celebrated as in Spain’s southern regions, you’ll still get a pretty stunning Good Friday parade to attend as well as some great local culinary traditions. All the top tips can be had in my article on visiting Barcelona during Easter.
• [CAN’T MISS] Sant Jordi: April 23rd 2023. The Catalonian spin on World Book Day involves a fantastic tradition that unites education with romance: the city transforms into a gigantic book shop/florist with citizens selling them at little stands all around the city. The tradition dictates that women receive a rose while men receive a book, though you’re free to mix this up any way you wish! The important thing is to show your appreciation with the thought of a little gift and make sure you go for a walk to breathe in the smell of roses in the city.
• Fira per la Terra: April 22nd 2023.  In conjunction with Earth Day you’ll find this weekend festival organized around culinary expositions using local products and all sorts of shows for both kids and adults. The festivities go down on Passeig Lluís Companys and Ciutadella Park.
• Feria de Abril (the Seville Fair): April 21st – May 1st 2023. The big Andalusian festival originating from the southern city of Seville goes yearly at the Parc del Fòrum: with flamenco shows, live music, exhibitions, a food court, and even a mini amusement park.

Upcoming Events in Barcelona in May

• Cursa del Corte Inglés: May 7th 2023. This very popular free 10k run always reaches its cap of 10,000 runners. Here it’s more about the encouragement and achievement than competition. It’s organized by the famous Spanish department store El Corte Inglés.
• Girona Flower Festival: May 13th – 21st 2023. This splendid flower festival transforms the streets of Girona’s medieval centre into an open-air contemporary art gallery with floral sculptures, lights, fountains, and live music. This is an ideal time to plan your visit to the city of Girona.
• Museum Night 2023: May 18th 2023. All of Barcelona’s museums are free on this special day dedicated to culture, shows, courses, guided visits, and live music. You’ll find this the same all over Europe.

Events in Barcelona in June

• Primavera Sound: June 1st – June 4th 2023. Indie lovers and hipsters from all over the world gather at Parc del Forum for this enormous music festival featuring the latest rock, pop, and dance acts. It sells out every year so act quickly!
• Spanish Grand Prix: June 4th 2023. You’ll find all the information on one of the world’s greatest car races in my article dedicated to the Montmelo Circuit.
• [CAN’T MISS] Sonar Festival: June 15th – 17th 2023. This massive electronic and experimental music festival is arguably one of the most important festivals in Europe – you’ll be able to see all the biggest names in the business.
• Sant Joan: June 23rd 2023. Since the following day (June 24th) is a holiday in Spain it’s a great excuse to celebrate the arrival of summer with a huge bonfire and fireworks display at the beach. Hundreds of thousands gather to engage in botellon (street drinking) and dance at chiringuitos (beach side bars). Get all the info in my article on what to do in Barcelona in June.
• Brunch in the Park: June – September. Sunday afternoons in summer mean dancing in the sun on Montjuic mountain with Brunch in the Park: a place to check out sets from international DJs, have a picnic with beer in the park, or even play with your kids in a dedicated playground.

What’s on in Barcelona in July

• Gay Pride Barcelona:  July 3rd – 15th 2023. Openness, concerts, civil rights, and a parade highlight this LGBT classic that fills Barcelona up with colours, fun, and a touch of craziness!
• Festival Cruilla: July 5th – 8th 2023. Less famous but just as potent as its cousin Primavera Sound, Cruilla is a festival beloved by locals for its mix of rock, reggae, Latin, and Catalan music. It goes down at the Parc del Fòrum.
• BBF – Barcelona Beach Festival: Cancelled in 2023 due to licensing. Want to have a little dance alongside the cool Mediterranean? The BBG is a festival entirely held on the beach where you’ll get alternating sets of some of the world’s most famous DJs like Armin van Buuren, David Guetta etc.
• Festival Grec: All July. An eclectic performance art series organized by the city of Barcelona at the Montjuic Greek Theatre and other popular venues. Look for a variety of dance, theatre, and even contemporary circus shows.
• Fiesta Mayor Raval: 4 days in the middle of July (2023 dates TBA). Barcelona’s famous barrio parties kick off officially with the multicultural Raval neighbourhood and its parades, concerts, and lively/alternative street events.
• Fiesta Mayor Poble Sec: One week in the middle of July (2023 dates TBA). The second big street party of the summer ramps up the volume with a festival more aimed towards street revelry with its variety of free concerts and DJ sets going deep into the night.
• Montjuic Open Air Cinema: All July. Seeing your favourite classic film under the stars and projected on a historic castle wall? Check. With all sorts of spaces to arrive early and have a picnic, see some short film openers, and meet some locals this is more than just a movie night: it’s a day out. Just make sure to bring a blanket.

August Barcelona Events

• DGTL Festival:  No Barcelona 2023 dates announced yet. If you haven’t gotten tired of electronic music festivals (why would you expect any less? Barcelona is the European capital of electro!) then head yet again to the Parc del Fòrum for the music and performance art exhibitions which stand apart for their sustainability.
• [CAN’T MISS] Fiesta Mayor de Gràcia: August 15th to 21st 2023. In my article on what to do in Barcelona in August this takes up a lot of space: because it’s the greatest city street party that transforms Gracia into some sort fantasy world. Every block gets to decorate their street according to a chosen theme, and down on the streets it’s music and parties till 4 am in a sort of open air disco!
• Fiesta Mayor de Sants: Second half of August (TBA). A more modest version of the Fiesta Mayor de Gracia but still with the intentions of partying and having a street carnival in the sun. The barbecues and street bars are a great place to soak up the atmosphere, and this has the benefit of being the least touristy and most local of the main barrio parties.
• Circuit Festival: August 5th – 13th 2023. One of the most important gay festivals in Europe, Circuit is synonymous for its club nights and beachside gym sessions. The stuff legends are made of.
• Gamper Trophy: Dates TBA. This single game cup named after Barcelona FC founder Joan Gamper puts Barça against a chosen foe from pretty much anywhere in the football world. Last year featured Argentinian powerhouse Boca Juniors.

Upcoming Events in September

• MotoGP de Catalunya: September 1st – 3rd 2023. The Catalonian stop on the world famous MotoGP circuit is a can’t miss date on the calendar for lovers of motor sports.
• Día de Catalunya: September 11th 2023. A very important day on the local calendar is the diada, the National Day of Catalonia that commemorates the fall of the city to Spanish troops in 1714. In the last few years it has taken on a great meaning with the independence movement gaining traction.
• [CAN’T MISS] Festa della Mercè: Starting the weekend of the 24th. The most important event on the Barcelona September calendar is a celebration of the city’s patron saint with concerts, fireworks, parades, food and drink, and more. The best part of all is that the entertainment is all free.

Barcelona October events

• Sitges Film Festival:  October 5th to 15th 2023. The fantastic international film festival found in nearby beach haven Sitges (30 minutes away by train) screens the best genre films and allows a great meet and greet opportunity with filmmakers. If you’re a fan of film and want to do a bit networking then pencil it in. Careful! The movies here tend to lean towards horror.
• Oktoberfest Barcelona: October 5th to 16th 2023. Who said Oktoberfest was only for Munich? Barcelona pays quite an honest homage to the world’s biggest party with its massive steins of beer, schnitzel, pretzels, and rowdy tables singing along to traditional bands. It all goes down at Montjuic.
• Cursa Bombers Barcelona: October 22nd 2023. The most popular 10 km run in the city is the Cursa Bombers and is named after the city firemen who organize the event. With over 15,000 participants and counting it has become one of the great Barcelona events of the year. Visit the official page for information on signing up.
• Brunch in the City: October – November. If you still haven’t got all the Brunch in the Park dance moves out of your system you’re in luck! The madness continues at Poble Espanyol for the autumn version of this Sunday afternoon dance-fest.
• Voll-Damm Barcelona Jazz Festival: October – December. The Barcelona International Jazz Festival always churns out an amazing line up for those who love the genre. Unfortunately ticket prices can creep up so make sure to book them well in advance.
• Castanyada: October 31st – November 1st. From Halloween night well into the next day it’s the most traditional time to experience the famous Castanyada: grabbing a bag of roasted chestnuts and staying out late to soak in the street carnival atmosphere.

Events in Barcelona in November

• In – Edit Barcelona: 2023 dates TBA. A festival of music documentaries that usually features the first runs of short films covering artists, music movements, and all sorts of stories connected with music. You can buy single tickets or get a festival pass for all the films. The festival is at Cinema Aribau (Carrer d’Aribau 5, metro Universitat red line L1 or purple line L2).
• Fiesta Mayor de Sant Martí: TBA. The very local-feel you’ll find in the barrios of Clot and Poblenou means the perfect atmosphere for a neighbourhood party. Here you’ll get the classic Catalan offerings with parades of paper mache giants, human castles, concerts, and traditional dinners with paella.

Events in Barcelona in December

• Feria de Santa Lucia: Last weekend of November – December 23rd. Barcelona’s popular Christmas market can be found at the steps of the Barcelona Cathedral in Cathedral Square. Here you’ll get into all of the local traditions like cagatio which is explained in my Barcelona Christmas article.
• Sagrada Familia Christmas Market: Last weekend of November – December 23rd. Barcelona’s other Christmas market is a great place to find nativity scene figures and little homemade trees at the artisan market that finds itself right in front of the La Sagrada Familia.
• Three Kings Market: December 20th – January 5th 2024. This holiday market specializes more in toys and small gifts – a great option for those visiting with kids. Also a great place to get some freshly made churros con chocolate.
• Festival de la Infancia: End of December. The festival dedicated to children is great for the whole family. Soak up all the games, workshops, and activities at the Fira de Montjuic.
• [CAN’T MISS] Barcelona New Year’s Eve: The primary events for this huge night out in the city are the Magic Fountain fireworks and light show and the big club night out at Poble Espanyol. You’ll find all the information in my article on spending New Year’s Eve in Barcelona.

Looking for More Barcelona Events?

I’ve covered the main bases on Barcelona events but it’s possible you didn’t find anything for the month you’re visiting: why not write me in the comments below for some custom advice?

Any question or comment you have about your Barcelona holiday will be answered ASAP.