Independent cinema, Sitges wine, electronic music, and knitting: what's on this weekend

With events ranging from music to cultural festivals, art, and celebration, there are countless things to do in Barcelona and around Catalonia. 

Here's a selection of some of the best plans and what's on this weekend. 

L'Alternativa | November 12-22 | Film festival | CCCB

Hosted by the CCCB in the heart of Barcelona's old town, L'Alternativa offers filmgoers and professionals a unique opportunity to discover and enjoy screenings and activities that value creative freedom, diversity, innovation, commitment, and thought-provoking reflection. Along with screenings of some of the best in independent cinema, the festival also organizes debates, workshops, and masterclasses for those interested in filmmaking.

BCN en las Alturas | November 13-15 | Gastronomy & Design | Torre Bellesguard

An unparalleled event where you can enjoy the architectural magic of Gaudí, sample the most innovative gastronomy, and purchase unique fashion pieces and accessories, all set to a backdrop of diverse musical performances that serve as the soundtrack to a truly unique and unforgettable weekend.

Malvasia Wine Week | November 12-15 | Gastronomy | Sitges

The 12th Malvasia Wine Week in Sitges celebrates the growth and recovery of this iconic grape variety. From a single plot, Malvasia de Sitges has expanded to cover over 100 hectares of vineyards and is now produced by more than 35 wineries across Catalonia. Under the theme 'Seducing the Land', this year’s edition reaffirms Sitges as the cradle of Malvasia, highlighting the importance of cooperation, shared heritage, and the future of this variety throughout the region, all while honoring the memory of its origins.

Andy Warhol. Pop Icons | November 13 - April 4, 2027 | Exhibition | Palau Martorell

Marilyn Monroe. Michael Jackson. A Campbell's soup can. Andy Warhol's images have been seen a thousand times, but rarely face to face. That changes Friday, when the Palau Martorell opens its new exhibition 'Andy Warhol. Pop Icons.' The exhibition brings together over 180 works from the famed artist including paintings, screen prints, album covers, drawings, photographs and polaroids. With many of the pieces taken from private collections, the exhibition presents a unique opportunity for the public to see some of Warhol's work.

Wine Festival | November 14 | Gastronomy | Rambla Catalunya

Wine Festivals is a platform to celebrate wine, food, music and good living. A project for all those people in love with life. Their aim is to spread the culture of wine in a festive and accessible way, in unique outdoor locations, with good music to dance to.

Barcelona Knits | November 14-15 | Knitting | World Trade Centre

Barcelona's first specialized wool fair, created by and for knitters.

AMEBA Parkfest | November 14 | Live electronic music | Parc de la Gran Via de l'Hospitalet 

Parkfest is the annual celebration of the Barcelona Association of Electronic Music. The free, open-air party features 13 hours of music to dance to, as well as a variety of workshops for kids to enjoy. 

Soundit Plaza | November 14 | Live music | Plaça Monumental

Soundit, the one-day festival bringing some of the biggest international DJs to Barcelona, is back. This weekend’s edition sees Kittin b2b mad miran, Paranoid London (live), and more performing.  

Barcelona Fringe Festival | November 6-15 | Comedy | Comedy Clubhouse and other venues

Featuring comedians from all over the world and over 300 shows in multiple languages. From stand-up and improv to clowning and spoken word, solo shows, showcases, gameshows and even a flea circus, there really is something for everyone.

World Press Photo | November 6 - December 13 | Exhibition | CCCB

The World Press Photo 2026 exhibition opens Friday at the Contemporary Culture Centre of Barcelona (CCCB) and runs through December 13. It brings together 144 photographs, most taken in 2025, that document the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine, the environmental crisis, civic protests, health challenges and stories of resilience. 

Poblesec Vegan Tapas Route | Fridays in November | Gastronomy | Poblesec

Every Friday in November, the neighborhood is filled with flavour with a route to take your time on. Dishes are created especially for the occasion, with a different one at each site and new ones every Friday, all delicious and 100% vegan. Bars taking part in the initiative are Bar Raíz, La Raposa, and El Menjador de la Base. 

Horrorland Halloween | October 9 - November 15 | Scream park | Illa Fantasia 

Where your nightmares come to life. Europe's best scream park returns this Halloween with 5 new haunting experiences. Located just 15 minutes from Barcelona at the Illa Fantasia water park.

'Sharks: Guardians of the Ocean' | October 22 - September 26, 2027 | Family-friendly exhibition | CosmoCaixa Science Museum

A new exhibition at Barcelona's CosmoCaixa Science Museum is inviting visitors to reconsider one of the ocean's most feared and misunderstood animals. Created by the Australian Museum and, in partnership with Evergreen Exhibitions, it has already toured internationally to museums in the United States and New Zealand, but has now arrived in Europe. Featuring 10 life-size replicas of different species alongside interactive elements, the exhibition lets visitors explore the diversity of this ancient group of animals.

Panoràmic festival | October 15 - December 27 | Art & Culture Festival | Granollers, Terrassa, Barcelona, Vic

The 10th Panoràmic festival of visual arts and cultures brings 25 exhibitions and nearly 50 free activities to Granollers, Terrassa, Barcelona, and Vic. To mark the 200th anniversary of photography, the program includes work by Donna Ferrato, who documents gender-based violence, and Czech photographer Miroslav Tichý, who built his own cameras, plus a light installation in a former thermal power plant.

Barcelona Jazz Festival | September 30 - December 23 | Music Festival | Barcelona

This year's 58th edition opens as organizers prepare a bid, with the Catalan Government and Barcelona City Council, to make the city the international jazz capital in 2028. Between now and the end of the year, more than 60 concerts featuring top-tier artists in venues all across Barcelona.

Escena | October 8 - December 19 | Theatre and music | Barcelona community centres

Live arts. A free program of theater, circus, music, and dance performances across 36 stages in civic and cultural centers throughout the city's districts. The Escena series will present 145 theater, circus, music, and dance performances, all free of charge, subject to advance reservation.

Emancipations | October 8 - February 7 | Photography exhibition | Foto Colectania 

A new reading of the Foto Colectania Collection, curated by Florian Ebner, head of the Photography Department at the Centre Pompidou, Paris. This exhibition explores how photography accompanied the transformation of Spanish society and the evolution of the photographic medium itself, placing Spanish photography in dialogue with the major narratives of European modernity.

Dana Lixenberg and Flama’26 | October 1 - January 17 | Photography exhibitions | KBr

The photography of Dana Lixenberg has gained international recognition for its honest and committed approach to documentary portraiture. Over more than three decades, she has developed a deeply human body of work focused on the representation of marginalized communities, iconic figures in popular culture, and social landscapes imbued with memory. Meanwhile, the KBr Photography Center also presents the sixth edition of its annual showcase dedicated to emerging photographers who are beginning their professional careers after completing their training in Barcelona.

Iniesta Experience | September 28 - January 10 | Exhibition | Port Vell

A new exhibition is opening up in the old IMAX Port Vell theatre, taking a look at the career of legendary footballer Andrés Iniesta. An experience where football, personal experiences, and a champion's mindset merge into an inspiring journey that reveals the reality behind every great victory.

Live music

MIRA festival | November 6-7 | Fira Montjuïc

Ginestà | November 7 | Razzmatazz

Arlo Parks | November 13 | Sala Apolo

Bryan Adams | November 14 | Palau Sant Jordi

Kingfishr | November 24 | Sala Apolo

Carolina Durante | November 28 | Palau Sant Jordi 

Hercules & Love Affair live | December 15 | Sala Apolo

Amaia | December 20 | Palau Sant Jordi

Buhos | January 15 | Razzmatazz

Editors | January 31 | Razzmatazz

Amble | February 10 | Sala Apolo

Passenger | April 4 | Razzmatazz

Angèle | April 28 | Sant Jordi Club

Olivia Rodrigo | May 1, 2, 5, & 6 | Palau Sant Jordi

Rodrigo y Gabriela | May 7 | Sala Apolo

Gracie Abrams | May 27 & 28 | Palau Sant Jordi

The Cult of Beauty | May 21 - November 8 | Exhibition | CCCB

Based on the ideals of human beauty that exist in all eras and cultures, the latest exhibition at the CCCB traces the evolution of these ideals throughout history. ‘The Cult of Beauty’ analyzes how aesthetic canons have been constructed, and stands up for bodies and beauties excluded from the norm. Through 400 pieces, the exhibition puts works, objects, and installations into dialogue to address how the idea of ​​beauty is conditioned by morality, status, and gender.

Experience 'The Last Days of Pompeii' | Open March 20, 2026 | Exhibition | IDEAL Montjuïc

Towering flames of lava taking over the skies, ash and soot flooding homes and buildings; utter devastation and total destruction inevitable. ‘The Last Days of Pompeii’ is the newest exhibition from IDEAL Digital Arts Centre, taking visitors back to 79 AD and one of the most compelling episodes of ancient history. The experience seeks to bring visitors closer to the lives and culture of the people who lived in the shadow of Vesuvius. 

Joan Miró: Cirlces | March 13, 2026 - March 12, 2028 | Art | Joan Miró Foundation

A new exhibition reorganizes the Miró collection and invites visitors to reinterpret the artist's work through Joan Miró's creative process rather than a traditional chronological or thematic narrative. The show presents 102 works from across the artist's career and will run for two years, with some pieces rotating every six months.

Visit 50,000-year-old Siberian mammoth | Every day | Museum | CosmoCaixa, Barcelona 

Barcelona's CosmoCaixa Science Museum unveiled the latest addition to its exhibition: a large six-meter-long and 3.5-meter-tall Siberian mammoth. The mammoth is between 40,000 and 50,000 years old and will now be part of the permanent exposition.