Badalona will once again host its emblematic 'Cremada del Dimoni' (Burning of the Devil) on 10 May, a highlight of the city's May Festival. This nocturnal celebration, honouring Saint Anastasi, involves burning a giant devil effigy on the beach, similar to Valencia's Falles. The event will also include a pyromusical display, a drone show, and concerts, according to local organisers.
The festival is a significant cultural event for Badalona, drawing crowds to the Pescadors beach. It marks a key moment in the city's annual calendar, combining tradition with modern entertainment.
Barcelona's Floral and Creative Events
Elsewhere in Catalonia, Barcelona is set to host a range of activities. The 26th International New Rose Competition will take place at Cervantes Park from 8 to 10 May. An international jury will judge new rose varieties, and the roses will remain on display in the park's rose garden after the competition. For those seeking more floral displays, Girona's 'Temps de Flors' festival also starts this Saturday.
Poblenou will open its creative spaces for the Poblenou Open Day on 9 May. Over 40 venues will offer 12 hours of exhibitions, art, design, photography, dance, live music, DJ sets, talks, workshops, guided tours, and gastronomy.
Markets and Cultural Exchanges
Vintage market enthusiasts have several options this weekend. The Two Market stores in Poblenou (Àvila, 78; Pere IV, 93; and Pere IV, 117) will be open on 9 May as part of the Open Day. On 10 May, Two Market will host a 'Everything for €2' sale at Nau Bostik, which becomes 'Everything for €1' after 3pm. The Flea market will also fill Estació de França with 40 vintage stalls on 10 May.
For sports memorabilia collectors, Real Vintage Football (Pintor Fortuny, 30) will have a pop-up shop featuring 1990s football apparel from 8 to 10 May. Outside Barcelona, Lleida will host the Jaleo Vintage market at Hotel Real Lleida (Avinguda de Blondel, 24) from 8 to 10 May, offering items for €10 each.
The Italia Republik Festival returns to Barcelona's port from 8 to 10 May, showcasing Italian culture with concerts, gastronomy, and cultural exchange. This free event will feature a variety of activities for all ages.
Art, Theatre and Science
Tallers Oberts Bcn will open 71 creative workshops across Barcelona for two consecutive weekends, 9-10 May and 16-17 May, to show local art, crafts, and design. This initiative provides an opportunity to explore the city's artistic talent.
The immersive show 'Luminiscence' at Moll de la Fusta, which tells the story of Santa Maria del Pi basilica through music, technology, lights, colours, and mapping, is in its final days, running until 17 May.
On the theatrical stage, 'Hora Bruixa' at Tantarantana (de les Flors, 22) runs until 17 May. This theatrical concert reimagines Shakespeare's Macbeth witches as a punk band, narrating women's resistance movements from Salem to #MeToo. At the Teatre Nacional de Catalunya (Plaça de les Arts, 1), Carlota Subirós's 'Èdip & Antígona', which combines Sophocles' three great tragedies, will be performed until 31 May.
For younger audiences, the 'Termoshow' workshops at CosmoCaixa Science Museum (Isaac Newton, 26) explain temperature changes in physical and chemical processes, including fires and volcanoes. These family-friendly sessions are scheduled until 21 June. Eva Baltasar's best-selling novel 'Permagel' has been adapted for the stage at Espai Texas (Bailèn, 205) until 28 June, exploring themes of suicide and lesbian desire with dark humour.
An itinerant exhibition on Catalan mythology, featuring characters like El Serpent and Joan de l'Os, will be hosted in Barcelona's libraries for a year. This exhibition aims to highlight the rich, often overlooked, national mythological bestiary.
