Cruilla Festival

Cruilla is the Catalan word for “crossroads”, and it’s a word that represents the core philosophy of this festival… an event where different musical worlds can come together and meet in the middle. One of three major international music festivals in Barcelona, Cruilla is the event with the widest range of acts on show, giving it a much broader appeal than the beloved-by-hipsters Primavera Sound, or the relentless electronica of Sonar Festival.

Originally starting life as a series of concerts in the town of Mataro (just up the road), Cruilla moved to Barcelona in 2008 and began to take the shape we know today. It has grown exponentially year on year so that around 50,000 people now make the journey to the outdoor venue Parc del Forum over the course of four days for a series of concerts by world famous artists, as well as some of the best Catalan and Spanish bands.

Some of the celebrated artists that have touched down in Barcelona to play Cruilla in the past include Prophets of Rage, Die Antwoord, Asian Dub Foundation, Iron & Wine, Public Enemy, Iggy & The Stooges, M.I.A, The Specials, Gogol Bordello, Suede, Cat Power, Damon Albarn, Franz Ferdinand & Sparks, Robert Plant, Crystal Fighters and Skunk Anansie, amongst many many others.

Getting to Cruilla Festival

Cruilla takes place at the epic concrete jungle on the edge of the city that goes by the name Parc del Forum. It’s well connected by bus, tram and Bicing, but the easiest way to get there by far is on the yellow line (L4) of the metro. Simply get off at Maresme el Forum metro stop and you are five or so minutes away from the gates. It’s impossible to get lost as you can simply follow the crowds.

The metro runs until midnight during the week, until 2am on Friday night (ie. Saturday morning), and throughout the night Saturday, through to Sunday morning. If you miss the last metro you will have to queue for a bus, or try to hail a taxi – the latter will prove very difficult just to warn you.

Best Accommodation

If you’re travelling to Barcelona specifically to visit the festival, I’d recommend you book accommodation in the Poblenou district, as then you will also have the option of being able to walk home (although the district is quite large so check your map first!). Otherwise look for a flat or hotel on the yellow line for easy metro connection.

Buying Tickets

To grab your tickets order via the official website. Whilst Barcelona folk tend to leave things quite late, best not to wait until right the last minute to be sure of getting yours!

2024 Line Up & Dates

In 2024, Cruilla will take place from 10-13th July, with headliners including Smashing Pumpkins, Avril Lavigne, Pet Shop Boys, Kasabian, The Kooks and Johnny Marr.

Previous Years…

2023 Line Up

In 2023 The Offspring, Sigur Ros, Placebo, Franz Ferdinand, Alt-J, Moderat and Parov Stelar were among the headlining artists.

2022 Line Up

None other than Duran Duran headlined in 2022, alongside other fantastic artists such as Jack White, Hot Chip, Rigoberta Bandini, Fat Freddy’s Drop and the Editors.

2019 Line Up

2019 featured global superstars Black Eyed Peas and Kylie Minogue as joint headliners. Notable support arrives in the forms of Bastille, Foals, Zaz, Years & Years, Seu Jorge and Parov Stelar, while this year also gives nostalgia lovers a chance to see legendary 90s alt-rockers, Garbage, live in Barcelona. You can check the full programme here.

2018 Line Up

In 2018 headliners include Jack White, Prophets of Rage, N.E.R.D., Justice, The Roots and David Byrne, with able support by cult favourites Orbital, Damian Marley, Chase & Status, Bomba Estereo and many many more.