What’s On This Weekend: Choirs in the Plaza, Foodie Fiestas, and Street Art Spectacles
Buen finde! Valencia is shaking off the storms and gearing up for Valencia Day (October 9). The city is already buzzing with festivals, food, and music — here are a few highlights to help plan your weekend.
Festivals
The Palau de la Generalitat is opening its doors for free visits through October 7 — a rare chance to explore one of Valencia’s most historic buildings. From October 6–8, its façade will glow with a special light show. On Sunday, hundreds of voices will fill Plaza de la Virgen in a massive choral performance of the city’s anthem, while kids can step back in time at a medieval market in Plaza de las Aulas, with food trucks parked nearby in Plaza Gabriel Miró. For all events, here’s the full program.
Meanwhile, the Patraix Festival adds its own flair this Saturday with the lively parade of puppets, Giants, and Big Heads.
Arts & Culture
Dance, street art, and books all take center stage this weekend. The Bucles Dance Festival continues with free performances across the city, and Monteolivete will be buzzing with live graffiti as part of the National Graffiti League Festival. For book lovers, the Valencia Art Book Fair runs October 3–5 in La Petxina, while over at Bombas Gens you can dive into an immersive exhibition on the legendary Ruta del Bacalao rave scene of the 80s–90s.
Food & Drink
If you’re hungry, Casal Viveros is back with its lively food fest at JardÃn Viveros (Oct 3–5), serving tapas, almuerzos, and live music. This Saturday morning, Proava’s Wine Market in Calle Baja is opening up its cellars for a sale on its exclusive local wines. And down at the port, MarisGalicia serves up Galician specialties — from lobster to scallops — through October 12.
Live Music
The weekend kicks off Friday with Berklee’s Lago de Conciertos, the last of the season’s free outdoor shows by the Science Museum. On Saturday, folk singer Noelia Llorens performs a free concert at L’Etno. Looking ahead, the Municipal Symphony of Valencia will give a free concert at Palau de la Música on October 7, with tickets available from October 3.
Sports
Runners will take over the streets this Sunday, October 5, for the Volta a Peu de les Falles — a popular 5K race through the city. Expect some morning street closures along the route, so plan your travel accordingly. Full details here.
Family Fun
For kids (and the young at heart), the ValenCirc Festival brings circus workshops and acrobatics to Teatre El Musical this weekend. Cine Lys is running its International Children’s Film Festival with discounted tickets, while La Filmoteca screens Neil Gaiman’s spooky classic Coraline in its original English with Spanish subtitles.
However you celebrate, Valencia is marking its birthday in style — and this is just the warm-up for next week’s fireworks and concerts. I’ll be updating the City Calendar with more events soon!
