The second-largest comic book store in Barcelona opens in Gràcia. Barcelona is getting ready to bring its most gamer, TV series-loving, and otaku side out onto the streets. To mark International Geek Pride Day, the city is moving the celebration up on the calendar to this Saturday, May 23, to transform the Arc de Triomphe promenade, the now-legendary Geek Triangle, and the La Marina neighborhood into the absolute epicenters of pop culture, manga, role-playing, and cosplay.
From 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., lightsabers, twenty-sided dice, and game consoles will take over the public space for a massive day packed with completely free activities. It’s the perfect excuse both for those who know the Star Wars universe or K-pop inside and out and for families simply looking for an original, fun, and unique outing without leaving the city.
Activities on Eix Fort Pienc and Geek Pride Day at the Arc de Triomf
The heart of the celebrations will be centered on Saturday, May 23, on the Paseo Lluís Companys. Attendees will have access to a central stage, specialized tents, and information booths run by Espacios Jóvenes and the municipal service Joves de Barcelona.
The complete schedule by venue is as follows:
Main Stage (Fort Pienc Escénico)
- 11:00 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.: Official opening ceremony led by Javier Rodríguez, Commissioner for Policies on Children, Adolescents, Youth, and the LGTBI Community.
- 11:15 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.: A choreographed performance inspired by the Star Wars universe, coordinated by the Starfans association.
- 11:30 AM – 11:45 AM: Presentation by the Friki Triangle Association, featuring appearances by Bandai and Gigamesh.
- 12:00 PM – 12:30 PM: Music session hosted by a DJ, sponsored by Espacio Joven Girapells.
- 12:30–1:15 p.m.: Random Play Dance group dance session, organized by Eix Jove.
- 1:15 PM – 1:45 PM: General gathering of cosplayers in front of the stage and awards ceremony for the costume contest organized by Starfans.
- 4:00–4:30 p.m.: K-pop dance performance by the group In Studio.
- 4:30–5:00 p.m.: Performance of film music pieces by the Moz-Art School.
- 5:00–5:30 p.m.: Demonstration and activities led by the Arco TCG organization.
- 5:30–6:00 p.m.: Urban dance masterclass taught by The Rootz school.
- 6:00–6:45 p.m.: Open, live recording of the podcast “Qué Musical Otaku,” produced by Viatge a Ganimedes.
- 7:15–7:45 p.m.: Retro music concert titled “Nostalgic Geek Concert,” performed by Etatsila.
Workshop Tent 1
- 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Hands-on workshops focused on manga drawing, cosplay costume making, and makeup techniques, coordinated by Eix Jove.
- 4:00 PM – 8:00 PM: Open competition for the video game Mario Kart World, organized jointly by the Casa Sagnier Youth Center and the Palau Alòs Youth Center.
Workshop Tent 2
- 11:15 AM – 1:00 PM: Musical bingo sessions, organized by the Barcelona Youth Council (CJB) through Universo Alternativo and the Center for Oriental Studies (CEO).
- 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Demonstration games of board games, organized by the CJB (Universo Alternativo) and the CEO.
- 5:00–6:00 p.m.: Open themed karaoke session hosted by the BcnNoKai association.
Board Game Tent
- 11:15 AM – 2:00 PM: Traditional role-playing game sessions with the Les Basses Youth Center, alongside the live-action role-playing event “Mystery in the Temple,” led by Gigamesh.
Interactive Spaces and Shopping Area (Open all day)
- 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM: General parade of costumed participants (cosplay) along the promenade.
- 12:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Jedi Academy Space, dedicated to training activities and physical challenges inspired by the galactic saga, by Eix Fort Pienc and Starfans.
- 1:00–2:00 p.m.: “Chroma Com” photo booth for digital portraits with themed backgrounds.
- All day long:Softcombat and archery areas using padded-tip arrows, organized by the Softcombat Association. Photo ops featuring franchises such as Super Mario, Jurassic Park, and Star Wars.
- Shop and Creator Fair: Stalls selling merchandise, comics, books, and illustrations, featuring shops such as AfterLife, Arco TCG, Bandai Namco Shop, BcnNoKai, Casa Oliver Gastronomia, Dashu, Gameria, Gula, Kaburi, Kumon, Llibreria Antifaz còmic, Madame Chocolat, Magic Barcelona, Mathom Store, Maximum Escape, Norma Comics, Hugo’s, Sra. Gallery, Stick&Tape, Xishi, and Yoomi.
4th Geek Pride Week in La Marina
The La Marina neighborhood is rolling out its own themed program from May 7 to 29, spreading its cultural, family-friendly, and educational activities across the Casa del Rellotge Cultural Center, the La Cadena Cultural Center, and the Pepita Casanellas Hall.
The complete schedule by date includes the following events:
May 23 (10:30 a.m.): Family textile recycling and sewing workshop “Brodem i reutilitzem roba en família,” where attendees can personalize their own garments using digital embroidery machines with Pokémon, Harry Potter, or Mario Bros. designs (Location: CC Casa del Rellotge).
May 7–29 (All day): Group exhibition of visual narrative and photojournalism “Fotografrikia,” focusing on intimate portraits and snapshots of the cosplay movement (Venue: CC Casa del Rellotge).
May 9 (11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.): Performance of the children’s puppet and physical theater play “Maüra, filla de la terra,” inspired by the artistic imagination of painter Joan Miró (Location: Pepita Casanellas Hall).
May 16 (11:00 a.m.): Interactive workshop for families “Crocheting is Fun: Let’s Make Minions as a Family,” combining crochet techniques, storytelling, interactive games, and a healthy breakfast (Location: La Cadena Shopping Center).
May 20 (7:00 p.m.): Participatory panel discussion “Artificial Intelligence: Myth and Reality,” aimed at analyzing scientific concepts with researchers from the Institute for Research in Artificial Intelligence (Location: Pepita Casanellas Hall).
May 22 (10:30 a.m.): Guided cultural tour “Route of Pop Barcelona,” a walking tour of the locations and episodes representative of mass culture in urban history.
May 22 (5:00 p.m.): “Geek Afternoon” board game and competitive activities day, designed to test the local audience’s knowledge of the subject (Location: Pepita Casanellas Hall).
