Barcelona runs on its calendar. Most of the big days are fixed points that come round every year, so this page works them out rather than storing them, and it stays right without being rewritten. Where a date is set by a promoter each year instead of by the calendar, it says so.
22Jun2026
In -38 daysFestival Grec22 June to 2 August 2026The city's summer arts festival: theatre, dance and music across the city through July, with the Greek amphitheatre on Montjuïc as its centrepiece.
11Sep2026
September 2026Diada Nacional de CatalunyaFriday 11 September 2026FreeCatalonia's national day. A public holiday, with commemorations at the Fossar de les Moreres and, most years, a large political demonstration.
24Sep2026
September 2026La MercèDates to confirmAround Thursday 24 September 2026FreeBarcelona's festa major, for the patron saint. Castellers and gegants by day, the Piromusical and free concerts across the city by night, and the correfoc through Via Laietana. The single biggest weekend in the calendar.
31Oct2026
October 2026La Castanyada and Tots Sants31 October to 1 November 2026FreeRoast chestnuts, sweet potatoes and panellets on the night of 31 October, then All Saints on 1 November, when families visit the cemeteries. The Catalan answer to Halloween, and older than it.
25Dec2026
December 2026Nadal and the Fira de Santa Llúcia25 to 26 December 2026FreeThe Christmas market outside the cathedral runs from late November, selling trees, nativity figures and as many caganers as you could want. Christmas Day and Sant Esteve on the 26th are both holidays.
31Dec2026
December 2026Cap d'Any31 December 2026 to 1 January 2027FreeTwelve grapes on the twelve chimes, one per stroke, and public celebrations at Plaça d'Espanya and along the waterfront.
5Jan2027
January 2027Cavalcada dels Reis5 to 6 January 2027FreeThe Three Kings arrive by sea at Port Vell on the evening of 5 January and parade across the city. The biggest children's night of the Barcelona year, and bigger here than Christmas Day.
4Feb2027
February or March 2027Carnaval4 to 10 February 2027FreeSeven days from Dijous Gras (Fat Thursday) to the burial of the sardine on Ash Wednesday. Moves with Easter, so it lands anywhere from early February to early March.
12Feb2027
February 2027Festes de Santa EulàliaDates to confirmAround Friday 12 February 2027FreeThe winter festa major, for Barcelona's co-patron saint. Castellers, gegants, correfocs and a programme aimed squarely at families, most of it free.
23Apr2027
April 2027Sant JordiFriday 23 April 2027FreeBooks and roses. The whole city turns into a street bookshop, Las Ramblas becomes impassable, and Catalonia sells a large share of its annual book trade in one day. Not a public holiday, which surprises people.
23Jun2027
June 2027Revetlla de Sant Joan23 to 24 June 2027FreeThe shortest night of the year, and the loudest. Bonfires and fireworks on the beaches from dusk on 23 June until dawn, cava and coca de Sant Joan, and a public holiday on the 24th to recover.
11Sep2027
September 2027Diada Nacional de CatalunyaSaturday 11 September 2027FreeCatalonia's national day. A public holiday, with commemorations at the Fossar de les Moreres and, most years, a large political demonstration.
24Sep2027
September 2027La MercèDates to confirmAround Friday 24 September 2027FreeBarcelona's festa major, for the patron saint. Castellers and gegants by day, the Piromusical and free concerts across the city by night, and the correfoc through Via Laietana. The single biggest weekend in the calendar.
31Oct2027
October 2027La Castanyada and Tots Sants31 October to 1 November 2027FreeRoast chestnuts, sweet potatoes and panellets on the night of 31 October, then All Saints on 1 November, when families visit the cemeteries. The Catalan answer to Halloween, and older than it.
25Dec2027
December 2027Nadal and the Fira de Santa Llúcia25 to 26 December 2027FreeThe Christmas market outside the cathedral runs from late November, selling trees, nativity figures and as many caganers as you could want. Christmas Day and Sant Esteve on the 26th are both holidays.
31Dec2027
December 2027Cap d'Any31 December 2027 to 1 January 2028FreeTwelve grapes on the twelve chimes, one per stroke, and public celebrations at Plaça d'Espanya and along the waterfront.
Sant Joan is always the night of 23 June. Sant Jordi is always 23 April. La Mercè hangs off 24 September, the Diada is 11 September, and Carnaval moves with Easter, so it is calculated from it. Those are calendar facts and this page derives them, which is why it will still be correct in five years.
The exact span of a festival is a different matter. How many days La Mercè runs around the 24th, or which weekend the Grec opens, is decided and announced each year. Where we have not confirmed that for the current year, the entry says "dates to confirm" rather than guessing, and the pipeline flags it for a human.
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