HOLA! Looking for the best music festivals in Madrid in 2024!? Well, I’m here to help, because anyone who knows me at all knows how much I love all things Spain. I’ve lived and worked in Barcelona, have traveled extensively around the country, and I’ll never say no to an afternoon of sangria & tapas.
So it goes without saying that there are a million reasons I’d return to Spain at a moments notice – one of which is the plethora of epic music festivals in Madrid!
The Spanish capital is an always-buzzing melting pot of cultures and influences, and for music fans, it’s the gift that keeps on giving. Rock, EDM, pop and cultural festivals all make an appearance, plus many more genres to suit any taste in tunes.
So before you book your direct flight to this buzzing city, think about checking one of these…
Top 20 Madrid Music Festivals
1) Mad Cool Festival 2024
The Ultimate Madrid Festival Experience | Credit: Mad Cool Festival
When: July 10-13, 2024
Where: Iberdrola Music, Madrid
https://madcoolfestival.es/en/index.php
https://www.facebook.com/madcoolfestival/
“Arguably the newest festival to be considered among Europe’s absolute elite, Mad Cool is a huge rock, indie and electronic music festival that takes place in the Spanish capital. Now preparing for only its fourth edition, the three-day festival has gone from strength to strength over the last few years, attracting crowds of 80,000 fans per day. Mad Cool’s biggest draw is without doubt the huge lineup that they offer each year, featuring giants from across the globe. But combine that with the festival’s investment in sound quality, the almost guaranteed summer sun, and the opportunity to explore Madrid afforded by the late start to the music each day, and there’s even more going for it than the acts on the bill.”
2) A Summer Story Festival 2024
When: June 21-22, 2024
Where: Arganda Del Ray, Madrid
https://www.facebook.com/ASummerStoryOficial/
“A Summer Story is an electronic music festival held annually in Madrid, Spain. Stunning staging, impressive production, and huge sound systems fill the Ciudad del Rock with the vibrant sights and sounds of the world’s biggest and best DJs and producers. Despite being a fairly new festival, having only launched back in 2015, every year has seen absolutely huge lineups packed with stars from across the electronic music spectrum. With big-room and EDM giants on one stage, favourites of the house and techno underground populating another, and representatives of harder styles also making their way onto the billing across the course of two days, the festival seeks to offer something to a diverse crowd of ravers.”
3) Festival Tomavistas
Credit: Festival Tomavistas | Javier Rosa
When: June, 2024
Where: Parque Enrique Tierno Galván, Madrid
Genre: Alternative / Indie
https://www.tomavistasfestival.com
https://www.facebook.com/TomavistasFest/
“Tomavistas is an indie and alternative music festival in Madrid, Spain. First held in 2014 with a lineup of predominantly Spanish acts, the festival has increasingly attracted established bands and artists from across the globe in recent years, including The Wedding Present, The Horrors, Goldfrapp, Temples and more. Tomavistas remains dedicated to showcasing the most exciting Spanish talent alongside the more well-known names, offering fans of alternative and under-the-radar music a chance to see both rising stars and firm favourites. This dedication to exciting new music has earned the festival support both in Spain and from further afield, as music fans make their way to the country’s capital for a three day celebration in the heart of the city.”
4) Rio Babel Festival Madrid
When: June, 2024
Where: Caja Mágica, Madrid
Genre: Indie / Jazz / Alternative
https://www.facebook.com/FestivalRioBabel/
“Rio Babel is a music festival in Madrid, Spain. Now in its fifth year, the three day event will welcome another diverse lineup of artists to perform in the capital. With the likes of Crystal Fighters, The Cat Empire, Bunbury and Molotov having appeared across the first editions, the festival has delivered on it promise to offer up high-energy, eclectic, fun and danceable music over the course of a weekend, uniting Spanish favourites with international guests.”
5) Paraíso Festival
Credit: Paraíso Festival Madrid
When: June 21-22, 2024
Where: UCM Campus, Madrid
Genre: Electronic
https://paraisofestival.com/en/
https://www.facebook.com/paraisofestival/
“Paraíso Festival is an electronic music festival in Madrid, Spain. Beyond the esteemed DJs and live acts from the worlds of house, techno and disco, the organisers are not afraid to explore other musical avenues – with synthpop, indie and alternative music also playing an important role courtesy of acts like CHVRCHES, Charlotte Gainsbourg, and Superorganism.”
6) Veranos de la Villa Festival
Credit: @marcosGpunto
When: May-September, 2024 (summer season festival)
Where: Various venues across Madrid
Genre: Various
https://veranosdelavilla.madrid.es
https://www.facebook.com/madridcultura
“Veranos de la Villa, organized by the Department of Culture, Tourism and Sports of the Madrid City Council, invites us to enjoy the summer in the city and the city in the summer. With a program made up of more than 70 national and international shows –by artists from Germany, Austria, Canada, South Korea, France, India, Italy, Morocco, Peru, Portugal, Switzerland and Uruguay with the collaboration of their diplomatic delegations–, the festival wants to be a window to lean out to get that much-desired fresh air in summer and discover what happens in our city and outside of it. This summer will connect artists and spectators of different generations, with a program that will include music, performing arts, the circus, art and poetry, among the various cultural proposals for all audiences that we can enjoy. Established names from the musical and theater scene will share nights with the joy of a great outdoor roller verbena in the Plaza de España –inaugurating the cultural activity in this renovated space of the capital–, an exhibition on fashion and robotics, the rhythm of chachachá, mambo, rumba, conga and bolero with the Litz Alfonso Dance Cuba, the most important dance company from Cuba.”
7) Noches del Botánico Festival
Credit: Noches del Botánico
When: June / July, 2024
Where: Real Jardín Botánico Alfonso XIII, Madrid
Genre: Various
https://www.nochesdelbotanico.com
https://www.facebook.com/nochesbotanico/
Experience music in nature | Nominated in 5 categories of the Iberian Festival Awards!
“Noches del Botánico has become the reference concert series in the Madrid capital. Summer after summer, lovers of good music meet at the Royal Botanical Garden of the Complutense University to enjoy an eclectic and differential musical proposal within a natural environment full of life. There are more than 300,000 attendees who have been able to experience first-hand the direct performance of artists such as Kraftwerk, Robert Plant, Roger Hodgson, Orishas, Wynton Marsalis, Keane, Tomatito or Pat Metheny, throughout these five successful and exciting editions. As soon as the doors open, attendees can relax in the green areas of the venue with four degrees less shade, as well as discover all those advantages (Mercado del Encanto, Food Trucks, Terraces) that make this series of concerts an unforgettable experience. designed to unleash emotions.”
8) Mulafest
When: June, 2024 (TBC)
Where: Ifema Feria de Madrid, Madrid
Genre: Electronic / Hip-Hop
https://www.facebook.com/mulared
Mulafest, festival trends and urban culture…
“Mulafest is a hip hop and electronic music festival in Madrid. Its recent lineups have included Jota Mayúscula, Le Mur, Bones of Minerva and more. In addition to the music, Mulafest also has a programme of motor, tattoo, skate, BMX, urban art, roller, breakdance.”
9) DCODE Festival
Photo via DCode Facebook
When: September, 2024
Where: Campus de la UCM, Madrid
Genre: Indie / Pop / Rock
https://www.facebook.com/dcodefest
“DCODE Festival is one day rock and pop festival held annually in Madrid, Spain. The festival has established itself as one of the Spanish capital’s most eagerly anticipated summer events, with tickets always in high demand. Regularly bringing fan favourites to the Complutense University campus, the lineups across the last few years have welcomed all manner of pop, rock and indie superstars, as well as newer acts on their ascent to stardom.”
10) Festimad
When: April, 2024
Where: Various venues across Madrid
Genre: Alternative / Rock
https://www.facebook.com/FestimadOficial
“The most famous musical event in the capital, Festimad attracts big names and young talents. The oldest annual festival in Madrid, normally held in late spring or early summer, brings together the main stars of the independent music scene. Festimad was the first festival site in Spain for such well-known names as Radiohead, Rage Against the Machine, Amaral, Beck, Dover, Cypress Hill, The Smashing Pumpkins, Molotov, and CPV.”
11) Universal Music Festival Madrid
Credit: Universal Music Festival Madrid | @nabscab
When: July, 2024
Where: Teatro Real, Madrid
Genre: Various
http://universalmusicfestival.es
https://www.facebook.com/universalmusicfestival/
“The effort to make a distinctive program, dominated by excellence and by a panoramic view of the universe of popular music, remains. The alliance with the Teatro Real de Madrid, an unbeatable venue that allows each show to be carried out in the best technical and scenic conditions, continues to be paramount. And in our public, always willing and enthusiastic in their response, is the heartbeat of this series of concerts that is already essential for the cultural offer of the summer in Spain.”
12) Madrid International Jazz Festival
When: November, 2024
Where: Various venues across Madrid
Genre: Jazz
https://festivaldejazz.madrid.es/en/
https://www.facebook.com/FestivaldeJazzMadrid/
“Like every fall, the best of the world jazz scene finally meets at the International Jazz Festival in Madrid. Popularly known as JAZZMADRID. Organized with the aim of enriching and spreading the jazz culture. Famous artists and new talents of the genre will make up the program, which will take place in various stages of the city. In addition to a hundred performances, there will also be room for parallel activities related to jazz such as debates, films and exhibitions by specialists in cultural life and jazz criticism in Spain. Furthermore it’s an invitation to listen and enjoy jazz music where melodies from different styles and cultures will come together in a festival where new talents will also dazzle.”
13) The Suma Flamenco Festival
When: November, 2024
Where: Various venues across Madrid
Genre: Flamenco
https://www.spain.info/en/calendar/festival-suma-flamenca/
Every year the art of flamenco descends on Madrid during this festival, which features some of the top names in cante, dance and guitar.
“Theatres in the city of Madrid and up to 10 districts throughout the Madrid region host a range of flamenco shows for a little over a month. A unique opportunity to enjoy the passion and intensity of this art. In addition to the major flamenco stars, each year the festival also showcases a number of promising newcomers. Covering most of the month of June, the Suma Flamenco Festival in Madrid is still in its early years as one of Spain’s finest flamenco events. The festival attracts some of the best flamenco performers in Spain to many different venues within the city as well as in smaller towns and neighborhoods”
14) Carnaval de Madrid 2024
When: February 10-14, 2024
Where: Various locations across Madrid
Genre: Cultural
https://www.esmadrid.com/agenda/carnaval-madrid
“Every year, from the weekend before Shrove Tuesday right up to Ash Wednesday, Madrid celebrates Carnival with a full programme of free, themed activities for all ages. In recent years, the heart of these festivities has been at Matadero Madrid and Madrid Río Park, where onlookers revel in a huge parade and witness local traditions mixed with Ibero-American folklore. Take note: the 2024 celebrations will take place from the 10th-14th February! Some of the main highlights include the Carnival Parade, the inaugural speech, the Masquerade Ball at Círculo de Bellas Artes, the Murgas and Chirigotas street musician performances, the Manteo del Peleleblanket-tossing of the puppet, the Madrid Comparsas musical event and the symbolic Burial of the Sardine.”
15) Madrid Pride 2024
When: June 25 – July 7, 2024
Where: Chueca, Madrid
Genre: Cultural
https://www.facebook.com/orgullomadrid
“Madrid Pride features one of Europe’s largest pride parades. The parade runs long into the night ending with a huge street party. Parties are held across the city in the lead up to the final weekend and parade.”
“A big party in the heart of Madrid, the starting point of which is the Chuecaneighbourhood and that will pass through the main streets of the capital like Gran Vía, Fuencarral and Castellana.”
16) San Cayetano Festival
When: August, 2024
Where: Rastro/Embajadores, Madrid
Genre: Cultural
https://www.esmadrid.com/en/august-fiestas-madrid
“In August, Madrid celebrates its most traditional fiestas: San Cayetano, San Lorenzo and La Paloma. The Madrileños dress up in chulapo suits (traditional period clothes) and dance the chotis in the streets. The most traditional areas of the capital, such as Lavapies, La Latina or las Vistillas, are decorated to celebrate the fiestas of San Cayetano, San Lorenzo and La Paloma. During daytime there are processions dedicated to the Madonna and the saints, and at night open-air festivities that last several days with the participation of the public at large. Street fairs, popular races, mus (a card game) and rana (a coin throwing game) championships, marching bands, lemonade, children’s games, sangria, hot chocolate, dance and organ music, Manila shawl competitions, sardines, secrets, churros, elections to choose the child chulapa and chulapo (girl or boy dressed in traditional local attire), concerts… These are just some of the activities organised within the framework of these festivals for all the family.”
17) Festival de Otoño a Primavera
Image: The Theatre Times
When: November, 2024
Where: Various venues across Madrid
Genre: Various / Cultural
https://www.facebook.com/CulturaComunidadMadrid
“The 37th edition of the Festival de Otoño of the Comunidad de Madrid makes a strong comeback with its original name and dates to be celebrated throughout November. A month to enjoy the best international theater, dance and performance shows. There will be all kinds of shows, theater, dance and performances that will be held on various stages.”
18) San Isidro Festival Madrid
Photo via Flickr – Alex Bikfalvi
When: May 15, 2024
Where: Various locations across Madrid
Genre: Cultural / Music
https://www.esmadrid.com/en/whats-on/sanisidro-madrid
“Every year on and around May 15th, Madrid honours its patron saint, San Isidro Labrador, with a packed programme of events featuring concerts, shows and an endless range of activities for all ages. Tradition meets modernity in the week-long festivities that see Madrileños dress up and dance chotis in the streets and enjoy picnics with friends and family in the Pradera de San Isidro Park. Over one hundred miracles have been attributed to Isidore the Labourer, who was born and died in the Spanish capital. He was believed to have a special ability for finding water, and one of the festivities’ biggest traditions sees chulapos and chulapas drinking saint’s water from the spring next to the Ermita de San Isidro. Another tradition that lives on to this day is attending the Romería outdoor celebration in San Isidro Park. The park, better known as the Pradera de San Isidro (San Isidro’s meadow), can also be found in some of Goya’s paintings.
19) Rivas Rock
When: TBC, 2024
Where: Rivas-Vaciamadrid, Madrid
Genre: Rock
https://www.facebook.com/RivasRockFestival/
“Some of the top punk rock bands from around the world perform at the annual Rivas Rock music festival, which is hosted in Rivas-Vaciamadrid, Spain.”
20) Primavera Sound Madrid
Image: Consequence of Sound
When: TBC, 2024 (potential hiatus until 2025)
Where: Arganda del Rey, Madrid
Genre: Varied
https://www.primaverasound.com/en/madrid/madrid
Madrid’s instalment of the epic Spanish music festival!
“Primavera Sound is an annual music festival held at the Parc del Fòrum in Barcelona, Spain during late May and early June.”
“Primavera Sound has always concentrated on offering the chance to see new promising independent bands and also renowned artists from any style or genre, fundamentally looking for quality and essentially backing pop and rock as well as underground electronic and dance music.”
Am I missing any epic Madrid music festivals in 2024?
Even with doing hours of research, it’s always possible to miss a couple of festivals! I’m planning to return to Madrid soon (fingers crossed!) and have a fair few of these on my music festival bucket list! So, please do send through any good ones that I need to add to my list of best music festivals in Madrid!
Looking for more music festivals in Spain?
Spain is honestly one of my favorite countries for partying, as well as for traveling, living, eating, and just about every aspect of life. Check out these article for the other best musical events in the country.
- The 22 Best Music Festivals in Barcelona
- Top 15 Music Festivals in Spain To Experience Before You Die
If you’re traveling around Euroe as well during the summer, I’d recommend reading through some of these articles to inspire some other festival adventures around the world!
- The 19 Best Music Festivals in Paris That’ll Keep You Dancing All Year Long
- The 23 Best Music Festivals in Italy for the Bucket List
- Top 22 Music Festivals in Malta to Experience Before You Die
- The 18 Best Music Festivals in Scotland To Experience Before You Die
- The 10 Best Music Festivals in Leeds, U.K
- Top 21 Music Festivals in Berlin To Add to Your Bucket List
- The 25 Best Music Festivals in ASIA
- Top 16 Music Festivals in Portugal to Experience Before You Die
- The 15 Best Music Festivals in Iceland To Experience Before You Die
I’ve also written a few articles that can give you some great ideas for what to wear, bring, and camping survival for music festivals! They’ve helped thousands of people so far, and I know you’ll get some amazing products from them!
- 44 Festival Accessories, Gear, and Must Haves | Festival Packing List
- The Ultimate Music Festival Camping Packing List
- The 7 Best Music Festival Hydration Packs & Camelbaks
Thanks for reading about these epic music festivals in Madrid!
Share this article with your Madrid festival & travel squad!!
¡Hola! Thank you so much for putting this wonderful list of festivals that are held in Madrid. Me and a couple of friends are planning on going to beautiful Spain next summer and I was looking for things to do and this is perfect. My friends are going to be delighted. Again, thank you so much for compiling an amazing list of all the festivals with its own history. I love it. You made my day. Cheers!
Marco