Free Festival Kicks Off This Weekend
The Cornellà International Clown Festival – Charlie Rivel Memorial begins its 21st edition on Sunday 18 October 2026, with a free street celebration in Plaça de Francesc Macià and along Carretera d'Esplugues. From 10:30 AM to 1:30 PM, seven clown companies will perform, run workshops, and host games for families. The festival, which runs until 25 October, will feature 70 performances across 44 shows by 52 companies from Catalonia, the rest of Spain, and abroad. A total of 106 artists will perform in streets, squares, theatres, schools, markets, and libraries across Cornellà de Llobregat.
Pla Solina Family to Receive Golden Nose Award
The Pla Solina family – Quimet Pla, Núria Solina, Oriol Pla Solina, and Diana Pla Solina – will be awarded the Golden Nose 2026 (Nas d'Or) during the opening gala on Wednesday 22 October in the big tent at Plaça Catalunya. The award is selected jointly by the Cornellà de Llobregat City Council and Alapista!, the festival’s artistic direction.
The Pla Solina family has spent decades shaping clown performance in Catalonia, and this award honours their collective legacy.
Street Parades and Free Performances
A free parade will take place on Friday 23 October, starting at 6 PM from Mercat de Sant Ildefons and ending at Plaça de Catalunya. Throughout the weekend, free shows will be held in public spaces featuring Cia. Albert Vinyes, which will premiere Alter as a co-production with C.L.A.P.S., award-winning performer Txema Muñoz, and the French group Les Bleus de Travail. Nearly half of the festival’s performances will take place in open-air settings.
Ticketed Shows and Charity Gala
The Alapista! Galas will be held from 22 to 25 October in the main tent at Plaça Catalunya. On 23 October, a charity gala will take place with all proceeds going to the Cornellà de Llobregat Red Cross. Performances will also be held at the Auditori de Cornellà, Sala Ramon Romagosa, and Sala Padró. Featured artists include Gardi Hutter, premiering GardiZero in Spain, Fred Blin, and Loco Brusca. All tickets for indoor performances and tent galas are now on sale via the festival website.
What This Means for Residents
Residents and visitors can attend free events across the city from Sunday 18 October. The main free opening is this Sunday morning in Plaça de Francesc Macià. Those wishing to attend evening galas or indoor shows must book tickets online. The full 2026 programme is available for download on the festival’s official site.
Primary sources: cornella.cat. Reported by diaricatalunya.cat, El Periódico, vilapress.cat, liniaxarxa.cat, lavanguardia.com, APCC, festivaldepallassos.com.
