Commemoration Focuses on 50th Anniversary of 1976 Diada
The 2026 Diada Nacional de Catalunya on Friday 11 September will centre on the 50th anniversary of the first major public gathering after the Franco dictatorship, held in Sant Boi de Llobregat in 1976. The Government of Catalonia (Generalitat), led by President Salvador Illa, has placed this historic milestone at the heart of this year’s official programme, highlighting unity and pluralism as core values. The institutional calendar begins on Wednesday 9 September at 7 p.m. with a commemorative event in Sant Boi’s Plaça de l’Assemblea de Catalunya, marking the golden jubilee of the 1976 rally. This event sets the tone for a Diada themed around collective memory and social cohesion.
Institutional Events and Cultural Open Days
On Thursday 10 September at 9 p.m., President Illa will deliver the traditional institutional address from the Palau de la Generalitat, broadcast live on TV3 and Catalunya Ràdio. The main official ceremony takes place on Friday 11 September. At 9 a.m., Illa will lead the floral offering at the Rafael Casanova monument on Ronda de Sant Pere, alongside government members, civic groups, and sports organisations. In the evening, the central institutional act will be held at 8 p.m. at the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya (TNC), featuring musical performances by Joan Dausà, Sopa de Cabra, Andrea Motis, Naïm Smaili, Monique, Xarim Aresté, Maria Callís, Pepa Plana, Guillem, Rauxa Cia, Jordi Corominas, Encantades, Colla Sardanista Mare de Trum de Barcelona, Cobla Lluïsos de Taradell, Cor de Te, and Coral Renaixença. Cultural institutions including the Parliament of Catalonia, the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya (MNAC), and the Palau de la Generalitat will offer free public access on 11 September, though advance booking is required for some venues.
Freedom Festival Headlined by La Gossa Sorda
The day’s celebrations extend into the evening with the 24th Festa per la Llibertat (Freedom Festival), organised by Òmnium Cultural on Passeig de Lluís Companys. This year’s musical headliner is the Valencian protest band La Gossa Sorda, returning to the stage after a decade-long hiatus. They will perform at 9:30 p.m., closing a lineup that includes DJ Trapella (7 p.m.) and DJ-KZU (11:45 p.m.). The festival, held under the slogan "I am here. We are here. Independence", also includes the MerCat fair showcasing civic organisations and cultural initiatives, and a central political gathering at noon.
"The image of the Diada 2026, made up of hundreds of fingerprints, symbolises the strength of diversity within a collective,"
said Sílvia Paneque, Minister for Territory, Housing and Ecological Transition and Government Spokesperson, presenting the official campaign designed by visual artist Javier Jaén.
Diada Celebrated in Extremadura for First Time
For the first time, official Diada events will extend beyond Catalonia. On 16 and 17 September, ceremonies will be held in Extremadura to honour the thousands of Extremaduran migrants who settled in Catalonia during the 1960s and 1970s. The initiative recognises their contribution to both regions and strengthens cultural and historical ties. Further details on the full programme, including local events and access information for open-door sites, are available via the Generalitat’s official Diada 2026 page and Gencat’s cultural agenda.
Primary sources: santboi.cat, govern.cat, agenda.cultura.gencat.cat. Reported by en.ara.cat, europapress.es, David Expósito J, rtve.es, thenewbarcelonapost.com, laciutat.cat, ma.to, 20minutos.es, ara.cat, CatalunyaPress.es, betevé.
