15th Edition Brings Expanded Free Programme
The DAU Barcelona festival, celebrating its 15th anniversary, will return to the Fabra i Coats cultural venue from Thursday 12th November to Sunday 15th November 2026. Organised by Kid’s Cluster with the support of the Institut de Cultura de Barcelona (ICUB), the event will occupy 10,500 square metres and feature a free, open-access programme dedicated to board games as a space for cultural and social connection. According to organisers, the festival will host over 60 activities, 400 games, and 200 new game launches and presentations. Entry to all areas is free, though capacity is limited and some sessions require prior booking.
Themed Play Zones and Inclusive Spaces
The festival will feature 11 themed play areas, including Gran DAU for popular and classic games, DAU Expert for advanced players, Daus de Rol for role-playing games, and DAU Històric for historical simulations. A dedicated area, DAU Tradicional, will showcase traditional Catalan games. A key focus on inclusion is reflected in DAU Tranquil, a specially designed space for people with high sensitivity who require a calmer environment to play. This initiative is supported by the festival's official accessibility policy, detailed at festivaldau.cat.
Live Stage and Participatory Events
A new feature for 2026 is a live stage hosting shows, recordings of DAU podcasts, and participatory events such as the 'Devir show' and 'Juega conmigo' by Mercurio. Activities by Asmodee and Hombres Lobo will also take place on stage. The full schedule and booking information is available via Barcelona Cultura.
Professional Congress and Educational Programme
The third DAU Professional Congress will run alongside the public festival, bringing together over 200 national and international professionals including game designers, publishers, distributors, and researchers. Structured around three pillars, Talent, Industry, and Academia, the congress will include talks and networking events. On Friday 13th November, the expanded Escoles al DAU programme will welcome approximately 1,000 children and 90 teachers from over 30 schools across Catalonia. The educational initiative aims to demonstrate the value of board games in learning, communication, and integration. A study on the board game sector, presenting data and trend analysis, will be released during the congress on Thursday 12th November.
Celebrating the 15th edition of DAU Barcelona is celebrating fifteen years of opening doors to new worlds and connecting people, generations, and imaginations through games.
Ana López, director of DAU Barcelona, said: “Today, the success of board games is a reality, but it is also the result of many years of shared work to grow the gaming community.” The festival has previously drawn over 35,000 attendees, and organisers expect another record turnout this year.
Sources: La Ciutat, Ajuntament de Barcelona, premsaicub.bcn.cat.
