October in Barcelona… That month where the return from vacations is far away but the weather is still nice and you feel like leaving home to enjoy events, fairs, festivals, exhibitions and all kinds of activities. Discover here all the plans to enjoy October.
Table Of Contents
- LUMINISCENCE
- Leonardo Versus Michelangelo: The Immersive Challenge
- DroneArt Show
- Sitges Film Festival
- SENSAS
- Petra: the glory of the Nabataeans
- Paradox Museum
- Gastronomic fair Festí Fest
- Alfa5
- Back to enjoy the Magic Fountain Show
- In-Edit Festival
- Candlelight: Halloween classics
- Barcelona Jazz Festival
- Flamenco City
- Asian Film Fest
- International Record Fair
- FSTVL-B
- Mahou Bravas Fest
- Pre-Halloween Market
- 48h Open House Barcelona
- Oktoberfest Barcelona
- Poblenou Stage
- BAUM Fest
- Panoràmic Festival
- ArtsLibris
- Barcelona Design Week
- Kosmopolis
- Fixing the Future
- A handful of plans to enjoy Halloween
LUMINISCENCE
Spectacular classical music, walls and ceilings invaded by video mapping and, in selected sessions, a celestial choir. This is the proposal of this immersive show that brings for the first time to Barcelona and mixes art, technique and meditation, besides being a history lesson of Santa Maria del Pi, beautiful baroque basilica.
Dates: From October 26th
Location: Santa Maria del Pi. Plaça del Pi, 7
Tickets: from 25€.
Leonardo Versus Michelangelo: The Immersive Challenge
If you could choose only one master of the Renaissance, who would you choose, Leonardo da Vinci or Michelangelo? In this immersive experience, you can’t answer “both”: the public becomes the protagonist and must vote for their favorite. The exhibition, innovative and surprising, offers an exciting journey through the life and work of these two giants of the Renaissance, combining virtual reality, immersive room, digital art and even a metaverse “battle royale” where only one can be left.
Dates: Open every day except Tuesdays Location: IDEAL Barcelona. C/ del Doctor Trueta, 196-198
Tickets: from 9,5€.
DroneArt Show
For two nights only, Barcelona’s sky will be illuminated by a fleet of 500 drones that will make spectacular figures. Meanwhile, on the ground, a string quartet will perform music classics only illuminated by candles. This is the premise of this novel show that, after having triumphed in Madrid or Seville, makes a stop in our house.
Dates: October 23rd and 24th only Location: Parc del Fòrum
Tickets: from 29€.
Sitges Film Festival
One of the most awaited events for Catalan moviegoers, just half an hour from Barcelona: the most famous festival of our land, a week and a half of much more than horror films and zombie walks. This year’s line-up includes the opening film, Alpha, the new film by Julia Docournau (winner at Cannes 2023 with Titane), up to two versions of Dracula, the awaited Frankestein by Guillermo del Toro and, of course, a large national representation, such as Balearic, Singular, Gaua, Slencio or Decorado.
Dates: October 9 to 19 Location: Various venues in Sitges.
Tickets: on sale September 23rd (presale) and September 24th (general sale)
SENSAS
SENSAS is the perfect plan if you are looking for a fun time with friends or family. Through different sensory tests with a touch of escape room (each one dedicated to one of the five senses) you will accumulate tokens, collaborate in a good cause and, above all, you will laugh your head off while you discover the weak points of your companions (and your own).
Dates: Open every day Location: C/ d’Entença, 91-93, Bajos 2
Tickets: from 27,70€ per person
Petra: the glory of the Nabataeans
This virtual reality experience with multi-sensory effects (you can even feel the smells of a spice market or the desert wind) allows you to explore the legendary Rose City while discovering its history and secrets. A fun and inexpensive way to discover one of the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.
Dates: Open daily Location: Reial Cercle Artístic. c/ dels Arcs, 5
Tickets: from 8,90€.
Paradox Museum
A museum where everything is interactive, where each of its more than 70 exhibitions is a challenge for our senses. This is Paradox Museum, a space to have fun with visual and sensory effects and be able to take the most original photos to share on social networks.
Dates: Open every day Location: Pl. Urquinaona, 3
Tickets: from 14€.
Gastronomic fair Festí Fest
10 Barcelona restaurants will feed Festí Fest attendees, an opportunity to learn about their new gastronomic creations, ranging from Cuban food to ice cream or tapas. In addition, to take a little gastronomic pleasure home, the fair will also feature 40 stands of local products, as well as workshops and other activities.
Dates: October 4 and 5 Location: Antiga Fàbrica Estrella Damm. c/ del Rosselló, 515
Tickets: 11€ (includes one dish)
Alfa5
The only XR Sports center in the city (and one of the largest in the world) offers 9 experiences that combine sport and technology creating impossible activities, such as soccer with moving goals, a virtual shooting range, digital climbing or the amazing Flatball. Given its variety, it is designed for all ages and physical conditions.
Dates: Open every day except Monday Location: c/ Almogàvers, 169
Tickets: from 18€.
Back to enjoy the Magic Fountain Show
After three years of inactivity, the most iconic fountains of Barcelona spring up again. Now they have water again and from October we can enjoy the new musical choreographies of different styles, combined with beautiful light shows. The shows will be from Thursday to Saturday at night.
👉 Discover here the complete schedules and the rest of the details of the return of the Font Mágica.
In-Edit Festival
An ode to music, documentaries and great protagonists of the cultural scene, each year packed with cinematic gems inspired by some of the most mythical artists. In addition to the physical program, to be confirmed, this year we will be able to enjoy In-Edit Online, a selection of documentaries that we will be able to watch at home.
Dates: October 23rd to November 2nd Location: MOOBY Cinemas Aribau Multicines. C/Aribau, 5
Tickets: packs from 34€.
Candlelight: Halloween classics
Although in Catalonia we have the Castanyada, there are more and more of us who, without losing sight of our old tradition, join the bandwagon of Halloween and spooky plans. The Candlelight saga does so too, with a candlelight concert in which we can enjoy scary music (such as Michael Jackson’s Thriller ) and soundtracks from iconic films and series such as The Addams Family, John Carpenter’s Halloween or Stranger Things.
Dates: October 24 (two shows) Location: Paraninfo of the University of Barcelona. Gran Vía de les Corts Catalanes, 585
Tickets: from 18€.
Barcelona Jazz Festival
The most important jazz festival in the city has dozens of concerts scheduled in different venues around the city to delight music lovers in general (since the label “jazz” is huge). La Bella Dixieland, Miguel Poveda, Tomatito, Barcelona Jazz Orquestra … The list of soloists and groups is endless and extends until the spring of 2025.
Dates: From October 10 Location: Various venues in Barcelona
Tickets: from 10€.
Flamenco City
The biggest event in Barcelona for lovers of singing, dancing and guitar playing. Ciutat Flamenco is a music festival that will feature performances by great flamenco artists such as Antonio Molina “El Choro”, Rocío Luna and Vanessa Aibar. It will also host Ciutat Batalla, a contest for new talents of this art, and the recording of a podcast.
Dates: From October 17 to 26 Location: Various venues in Barcelona
Tickets: from 12€.
Asian Film Fest
Casa Asia organizes one more year this festival entirely dedicated to the cinematographies of all Asia: South Korea, India, Thailand, China, Japan, Iran… A unique opportunity to see recent films that are rarely released in commercial theaters. To date, the program is still a mystery.
Dates: From October 29th to November 9th Location: Cinemes Girona
Tickets: prices to be announced
International Record Fair
In times of streaming, buying vinyls or CDs may seem like an act of rebellion… or not so much; and year after year the Record Fair brings together thousands of people eager to complete their music collection, either to support their favorite artists or to get their hands on authentic classics. In addition, attendees can enjoy book presentations and other activities related to music, especially rock.
Dates: October 3, 4 and 5 Location: Estació del Nord. c/ Napols, 68
Tickets: from 5,10€.
FSTVL-B
Summer is the season par excellence of music festivals, but the luck we have in Barcelona is that after this season the weather is still good to enjoy music outdoors. So the first festival this fall will be the Festival-B (formerly Cara B), which in its three days brings us the highlights of alternative music and new trends in urban airs. This 2025 will feature artists such as Amaia, Judeline, Alizzz, Amore and Cala Vento, among many others.
Dates: From October 3 to 5 Location: Parc del Fòrum. C/ de la Pau, 12 .
Tickets: from 21,90€.
Mahou Bravas Fest
A festival dedicated ONLY to patatas bravas? Yes, it will be in Poble Espanyol, and will feature for three days with the best selection of this delicacy, served by several restaurants in Barcelona. While the public enjoys them (washed down with beer, of course) and workshops and live music, the establishments will compete for the prize for the best bravas of the contest.
Dates: October 4, 5 and 6 Location: Poble Espanyol. Av. de Francesc Ferrer i Guàrdia, 13
Tickets: from 8,50€ (includes drink)
Pre-Halloween Market
Why wait until the 31st to celebrate Halloween? This popular event for all audiences offers a day full of spooky activities. The center is the aforementioned market of artists and artisans, but there will also be a free concert with the band L.I.O., themed make-up, short film screenings and a collaborative mural where you can show your talent drawing “Halloween” motifs.
Dates: October 4 Location: Espai Jove La Fontana. c/ Gran de Gràcia, 190.
Tickets: Free!
48h Open House Barcelona
48h Open House Barcelona is an architecture festival organized by the association of the same name, whose purpose is the dissemination of Barcelona’s architectural heritage. The festival is free and takes place in several cities of the province with more than 2500 activities and visits. Registration to volunteer for this initiative is now open and you can sign up here.
Dates: October 25 and 26 Location: Various venues around the city
Oktoberfest Barcelona
The popular beer festival in Munich for years has crossed borders and is celebrated all over the world, and Barcelona was not going to be an exception. There will be pork knuckle, roast chicken, sausages and other typical dishes to soak up with beer.
Dates: From October 2 to 19 Location: Plaça Univers de Fira Barcelona Montjuïc (Plaza España)
Tickets: Table reservation 5 € which is then deducted from the drink.
Poblenou Stage
A theater festival that achieves the crucial role of offering a space for freedom of expression through art, creativity and the street. Among this year’s shows highlights a show with Miquel Barcelona (who will also offer a workshop) or the funny and emotional musical Cançons que acaben en fade out, by La Copla de Wisconsin. In addition to performances, this year’s edition has several workshops to enjoy art while we reflect.
Dates: From October 16 to 19 Location: Different spaces of Poblenou
Tickets: Tickets from 6€ / Workshops 80€.
BAUM Fest
The once known as Tattoo Expo has been renamed, and nowadays, in addition to having everything related to tattoos is a fair of street art, extreme sports and custom culture. Three essential days for all those who love urban art in all its expressions, where in addition to enjoying activities and demonstrations we can buy at the flea market and, of course, get a tattoo (or a few).
Dates: From 3 to 5 octybre Location: Fira de Barcelona
Tickets: from 18€.
Panoràmic Festival
Panoràmic, a decentralized festival (in addition to the city, it will have events this month in Granollers and in November in Terrassa), is an event that combines film, photography and art and makes us reflect on the current situation of society and geopolitics. It will include exhibitions, talks and different activities for primary and secondary school students.
Dates: From October 16 to December 28 Location: Various spaces in Granollers, Barcelona and Terrassa.
Tickets: coming soon
ArtsLibris
Barcelona hosts ArtsLibris, the international fair dedicated to artists’ books, photobooks, contemporary publishing, self-publishing and digital. During these days it will be possible to visit a carefully selected selection of national and international publishers, participate in seminars, debates, exhibitions and performances that revolve around contemporary graphic art and publishing. ArtsLibris also functions as a lively platform for reflection between artists, publishers and the public that seeks to explore the book as an artistic object and a space for experimentation.
Dates: October 10-12 Location: MACBA. Plaça del Àngels, 1
Tickets: On sale soon
Barcelona Design Week
Barcelona Design Week is a must-attend event for design, creativity and innovation organized by the Barcelona Creativity & Design Foundation. More than 100 activities such as exhibitions, installations, talks, workshops and open days will be held in different spaces of the city, headed by the Disseny Hub Barcelona. This year’s theme is “Design for Human Future”, which focuses on creative resilience.
Dates: October 7 to 17 Location: DHUB Barcelona. Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes, 38
Tickets: Most events are free but require prior registration.
Kosmopolis
Kosmopolis is a festival of amplified literature that goes beyond traditional formats to explore the transformative power of the word. This year, the event pays homage to contemporary author comics, delves into the effervescence of Korean literature and offers a window into Galicia’s rich literary tradition. Over the course of five days, there will be lectures, dialogues, readings, recitals, installations and concerts, with the participation of outstanding voices such as Art Spiegelman, Chris Ware, Yolanda Castaño, László Krasznahorkai, Keum Suk Gendry-Kim, Kim Hye-Jin, Berta Dávila and Quimi Portet, among others.
Dates: From October 22 to 26 Location: CCCB. c/ de Montealegre, 5
Tickets: from 3€.
Fixing the Future
This festival brings together 25 innovative projects from around the world that address global challenges such as adapting artificial intelligence, agricultural innovation, drought mitigation and creative recycling. Over two intense days, the event will feature panel discussions, debates, workshops and performances, providing a platform to share, inspire, question and, most importantly, act to change the world for the better.
Dates: October 24 and 25
Location:DHUB Barcelona. Plaça de les Glòries Catalanes, 38
Tickets: Free!
A handful of plans to enjoy Halloween
October ends with the Castanyada, Halloween, Castaween or whatever you want to call it? The point is that in Barcelona during the month (especially during its final stretch) we find plenty of themed activities celebrating this holiday.
👉 Discover here the best Halloween plans.