The first thing that happens when you walk into Fira Gran Via for Sónar is the sound — not the music from a specific stage, but the ambient hum of the building itself when it is operating as a festival. The venue is cavernous and the air conditioning fights with the heat of ten thousand bodies and mostly loses, and somewhere in the middle distance a live set is building toward something and you stop walking and listen before you have consciously decided to. That is the essential Sónar experience: the music arrives before you find it. The festival's 33rd edition in 2026 is the most ambitious in years — all at a single venue for the first time, with a lineup that ranges from The Prodigy to Dom Dolla to Kelis performing two decades of R&B live, and more than 100 acts across six stages over three days.
Sónar 2026 runs Thursday June 18 through Saturday June 20 at Fira Barcelona Gran Via in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona. 18+ only. Here is the complete guide.
- What is Sónar and what is its history?
- How many people attend Sónar?
- What should you expect at Sónar 2026?
- When and where is Sónar 2026?
- How do you get tickets to Sónar 2026?
- Who is playing at Sónar 2026 — lineup and stage breakdown?
- What should you wear to Sónar 2026?
- What should you pack for Sónar 2026?
- What is not allowed at Sónar 2026?
- How do you get to Sónar 2026?
- Where should you stay for Sónar 2026?
- What food and drink is available at Sónar?
- What are the best tips for Sónar 2026?
- What is OFFSónar 2026?
- FAQ
What is Sónar and what is its history?
Sónar launched in Barcelona in 1994 as a three-day festival of advanced music and multimedia art — a deliberately unusual proposition for its moment, combining electronic music performance with digital arts, technology, and creativity in a format that no other European festival was attempting. The festival was founded by Enric Palau, Ricard Robles, and Joan Escudero, who shaped a programming philosophy rooted in the intersection of music and technology rather than the purely commercial instincts that drove most festival growth in the 1990s.
Over 32 editions, Sónar has maintained that philosophy through changing musical landscapes and changing festival economics. It has consistently booked artists at the leading edge of electronic music — not chasing mainstream, but not deliberately obscure either — and has expanded its Sónar+D innovation and creativity congress alongside the music programme. International editions in Tokyo, Chicago, Buenos Aires, and other cities have established the brand globally, though the Barcelona original remains the flagship.
The 2026 edition is the first under new leadership: François Jozic, founder of the global Brunch Electronik series, took over after the three founding directors stepped down in October 2025 after 30-plus years. It also introduces a fundamental structural change — for the first time in the festival's history, all three days of music take place at a single venue, Fira Barcelona Gran Via, removing the historic day/night split between the city-centre Sónar By Day and the exhibition centre Sónar By Night. The result is continuous programming from 5 PM to 7 AM across all three days, all in one place.
How many people attend Sónar?
Sónar Barcelona draws approximately 120,000 to 140,000 attendees across the three-day festival. This places it among the mid-tier of European electronic festivals by attendance but at the very top by cultural influence — Sónar's programming has shaped the direction of electronic music in Europe more consistently than any event its size. The move to a single venue in 2026 does not dramatically alter the festival's capacity but does change the attendee experience significantly, concentrating the crowd into a single location across all three days and nights.
What should you expect at Sónar 2026?
Six stages running continuous programming from 5 PM to 7 AM across three days at Fira Barcelona Gran Via, with Sónar+D — the 14th International Congress of Innovation, Creativity and Technology — running separately at Llotja de Mar in the city centre. The historic day/night split, which previously required moving between city-centre venues during the day and the Fira at night, is gone. You arrive at one venue, stay as long as you choose, and everything happens around you.
The stages each have a distinct character. SonarVillage by Estrella Damm is the new flagship open-air stage, running from start to finish on all three days and replacing the former SonarPub and SonarVillage. SonarHall is the primary indoor stage, redesigned for 2026 to function as both a concert hall and a club, with programming running until 5 AM after the shows close on Friday and Saturday. SonarLab covers underground and rave culture. The remaining stages handle specific programming pockets including the AI and Music programme, the Sónar Kids family events on Saturday, and the late-night Glitterbox takeover.
OFFSónar — the parallel festival of parties at Poble Espanyol and other Barcelona venues — runs June 18-21 alongside the main event, operated separately but serving the same audience. Mau P's BADDEST BEHAVIOUR, Keinemusik, Adriatique, and Elrow are among the confirmed OFFSónar programmes at Poble Espanyol. The OFFSónar parties require separate tickets and often sell out earlier than the main festival passes.
Barcelona in late June is warm: 23 to 29 degrees Celsius (73 to 84 Fahrenheit) during the day, dropping to 18 to 22 degrees Celsius (64 to 72 Fahrenheit) at night. The Fira Gran Via is primarily an indoor venue with air conditioning, which moderates the temperature significantly compared to outdoor festivals — but the outdoor SonarVillage stage area in the afternoon and early evening can be warm.
When and where is Sónar 2026?
Sónar 2026 runs Thursday June 18 through Saturday June 20 at Fira Barcelona Gran Via, Av. de la Granvia de l'Hospitalet 44-50, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, 08908 Barcelona. Gates open at 17:00 each day. Thursday programming runs until 03:00; Friday and Saturday run until 07:00. Sónar+D takes place at Llotja de Mar, Passeig d'Isabel II 1, in Barcelona's city centre, across the same three days. OFFSónar at Poble Espanyol runs June 18-21.
How do you get tickets to Sónar 2026?
Tickets are available through sonar.es. Options include the SonarPass 3-day (full festival access), a 2-day Friday-Saturday pass, single-day passes, and the SonarPass+D which adds access to the Sónar+D congress at Llotja de Mar. VIP passes include premium viewing areas and hospitality access. Some ticket categories have sold out at time of writing — check current availability at the official site.
OFFSónar parties at Poble Espanyol are ticketed separately through the OFFSónar website at offsonar.co. Individual OFFSónar events sell tickets independently — the Elrow takeover, the Keinemusik night, and the Mau P event each require separate purchase. Some are already on waitlist. See the official Sónar website for current ticket status and pricing.
Who is playing at Sónar 2026 — lineup and stage breakdown?
The 2026 lineup is the strongest argument for Sónar's continued relevance as Europe's most curated electronic festival. The Prodigy bring their explosive live show — one of the genuinely important live electronic acts in the world — to SonarHall. Dom Dolla and Sara Landry represent the contemporary house and techno mainstream at their most exciting. Kelis performs live across two decades of R&B shaped by electronic production, her first Sónar appearance. Skepta brings his latest musical chapter to the festival.
The supporting lineup reads as a comprehensive survey of where electronic music is in 2026. Charlotte de Witte and Amelie Lens anchor the techno programming. Joy Orbison delivers the UK bass and club music dimension. Boys Noize, Cabaret Voltaire, SBTRKT, Carlita, Reinier Zonneveld performing live with his AI R2, Two Shell, and Daniel Avery with a full band round out the SonarHall programme. SonarVillage features Arp Frique, SBTRKT (live), and a diverse range of global sounds. SonarLab covers underground rave and forward-thinking electronic with a redesigned dancefloor and lighting rig.
The Bogotá queer fetish night BULTO curates the Friday SonarHall after-show. Glitterbox — the iconic house and disco party — takes SonarHall on Saturday night after the shows close. The full stage-by-stage breakdown is at sonar.es/en/programme/line-up and covered in detail on DJ Mag's Sónar coverage.
What should you wear to Sónar 2026?
Sónar has its own Barcelona-specific aesthetic that sits between the Berlin techno darkness of Berghain and the summer festival energy of Primavera Sound. The crowd dresses with intention — considered, often dark or metallic, focused on pieces that work in both the indoor SonarHall environment and the outdoor SonarVillage. Mirror fabrics, rhinestone pieces, and structured silver or black looks all work here. The Glitterbox takeover on Saturday night shifts the dress code toward house and disco-adjacent glamour specifically.
The indoor/outdoor split at Sónar means dressing in layers is practical — the Fira air conditioning is aggressive in the indoor stages, particularly during the late-night hours, while the SonarVillage outdoor area in the late afternoon can be warm. A fitted mirror or rhinestone bodysuit as the base, with a jacket available for the indoor late-night, covers the full temperature range. Browse the rave outfits collection for mirror and rhinestone pieces suited to the Sónar environment.
Shop the look — Sónar 2026
Roxanne Mirror Sequin Rhinestone Dress
€187.95
Kayla Mirror Rhinestone Bodysuit
€187.95
Silver Reflective Mirror Sequin Dress
€169.95
Beverly Silver Rhinestone Long-Sleeve Bodysuit
€187.95
What should you pack for Sónar 2026?
- A jacket or structured layer — SonarHall's air conditioning is cold at 3 AM
- Comfortable footwear you have already worn for a full day of dancing
- Earplugs — high-fidelity plugs protect your hearing across three long days
- Portable phone charger — essential across late-night programming
- Small bag that passes security — check the Fira Gran Via prohibited items list
- OFFSónar tickets downloaded offline — connectivity in the venue can be limited
- A Sónar app or programme downloaded before you arrive — the stage timetable is complex across six stages
- Sunscreen for the SonarVillage outdoor area during afternoon sessions
- Water bottle — free water refill stations operate across the festival grounds
What is not allowed at Sónar 2026?
Sónar is 18+ throughout — valid photo ID is required at entry and will be checked. Professional cameras with detachable lenses require press accreditation. Outside food and drink are not permitted into the festival grounds. Drones are prohibited. Illegal substances are not permitted. The Fira Gran Via has its own detailed prohibited items policy — check the official Sónar FAQ at sonar.es before packing to confirm current bag size limits and prohibited item categories specific to the 2026 edition.
How do you get to Sónar 2026?
Fira Barcelona Gran Via is in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, directly adjacent to Barcelona and accessible on the Barcelona metro. Take Line L9 Sud to Europa | Fira or Fira stations, both of which exit directly at the Fira Gran Via complex. From Barcelona city centre (Plaça de Catalunya), the journey takes approximately 20 minutes. The L9 runs through the night on festival days — check timetables through the TMB Barcelona app for the specific late-night service schedule.
Barcelona El Prat Airport (BCN) is served directly by the L9 Sud line — from the airport to the Fira Gran Via festival venue is a direct metro journey without requiring a connection through the city centre. Journey time from the airport terminals to the Fira stations is approximately 15 to 20 minutes. This makes the airport-to-festival logistics unusually straightforward compared to most major European festivals.
Sónar+D at Llotja de Mar in the city centre is accessed via the Barcelona metro — take Line L4 to Barceloneta or Jaume I stations, both within a short walk of the Llotja de Mar building on Passeig d'Isabel II. OFFSónar at Poble Espanyol is accessed by Bus 13 from Plaça d'Espanya or the cable car from Paral·lel metro station.
Where should you stay for Sónar 2026?
The most convenient accommodation areas for Sónar 2026 at Fira Gran Via are:
Gran Via / L'Hospitalet de Llobregat — the immediate festival neighbourhood. Hotels including the Barceló Fira Atrium, the Hotel Melia Barcelona Sarrià, and the NH Collection Gran Hotel Calderón on Rambla de Catalunya are all close to the L9 line. Staying within a 10-minute walk of the Fira stations eliminates all transport complexity after a 7 AM finish.
Plaça de Catalunya / Eixample — the central Barcelona hotel corridor, 20 minutes from the Fira by metro. The highest density of mid-range and boutique hotel options in the city, with direct metro access to the festival on L9 and to OFFSónar at Poble Espanyol. A practical base if you want to combine Sónar with Barcelona's restaurant and daytime cultural scene.
El Poblenou / 22@ district — a 15 to 20-minute metro journey from the Fira via a connection at Diagonal. Lower hotel prices than the Eixample, with the added benefit of being close to Barcelona's best beach and the Rambla del Poblenou for post-festival recovery. See Resident Advisor's Barcelona guide for nightlife and accommodation recommendations across Sónar week.
What food and drink is available at Sónar 2026?
Sónar operates food and drink concessions across the festival grounds at Fira Gran Via — the typical quality is above average for a festival setting, with Spanish and international food options available from early evening through the late-night programming. The venue is cashless; load your payment method before arriving. A wide range of drinks including craft beer, wine, spirits, and non-alcoholic options are available throughout the night.
For meals before the festival opens at 5 PM, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat has a range of local restaurants in the streets around the Fira complex. Gran Via 2 shopping centre adjacent to the Fira has a food court with accessible options for a pre-festival meal without needing to return to the city centre. Barcelona itself, of course, offers world-class dining — if you are arriving from the city centre by metro, the Eixample neighbourhood has excellent tapas bars and restaurants at every price point within walking distance of L4 and L9 metro stations.
What are the best tips for Sónar 2026?
Plan your stage routing specifically for SonarHall. The indoor stage is the most temperature-controlled environment at the festival and the venue for the most significant live performances — The Prodigy, Kelis, and Daniel Avery all perform here. The redesigned SonarHall in 2026 can shift between concert hall and club configuration, and the after-show programming from midnight onward is where the venue's character fully emerges.
The OFFSónar events at Poble Espanyol are genuinely worth building into your Sónar week schedule. The venue — a 1929 architectural reconstruction of Spanish regional buildings that now functions as a cultural and events space — is one of the most distinctive club settings in Europe, and events including the Elrow takeover and the Keinemusik night are among the most sought-after tickets of Barcelona's summer calendar. Buy early.
Use the continuous programming structure of 2026 strategically. Without the day/night split of previous editions, there is no natural rest period built into the festival structure. Build in your own breaks — leave the venue for a meal, a walk along the Gran Via, or a brief return to your hotel — rather than trying to stay inside for the full 14-hour daily programme. The people who see the most of Sónar are the ones who pace themselves across three days rather than collapsing after one.
What is OFFSónar 2026?
OFFSónar is the parallel festival of events that runs in Barcelona venues alongside the main Sónar programme, primarily at Poble Espanyol and other city locations, June 18-21. It is produced separately from the main festival but serves the same audience and is considered an integral part of Sónar week by most regular attendees.
Confirmed OFFSónar 2026 events at Poble Espanyol include: Mau P presents BADDEST BEHAVIOUR on Thursday June 18 (Monasterio Stage); Rampa and Adam Port present Keinemusik on Thursday June 18 (Plaza Mayor — sold out); Adriatique presents X on Friday June 19; and Elrow on Sunday June 21. Additional events at the Carpa and Picnic stage and across other Poble Espanyol spaces complete the OFFSónar programme across the four nights. Tickets are available at offsonar.co — some events are already on waitlist so act quickly.
Beyond Poble Espanyol, the broader Barcelona club scene runs Sónar week specials at venues including Moog, BARTS, Sala Upload, and Razzmatazz. Ricardo Villalobos' FRRC party with Zip is confirmed for mid-to-late June. Check Resident Advisor's Barcelona calendar for the full week's programme.
FAQ: Sónar 2026
When is Sónar 2026?
Sónar 2026 runs Thursday June 18 through Saturday June 20 at Fira Barcelona Gran Via in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona. Gates open at 17:00 each day. Thursday programming runs until 03:00; Friday and Saturday until 07:00. OFFSónar at Poble Espanyol runs June 18-21.
Who is headlining Sónar 2026?
The headline names for Sónar 2026 include The Prodigy (live), Dom Dolla, Sara Landry, Kelis (live), Skepta, Charlotte de Witte, Amelie Lens, Boys Noize, Joy Orbison, Cabaret Voltaire, SBTRKT, Carlita, Reinier Zonneveld (live with AI), Daniel Avery (full band), Two Shell, and WhoMadeWho (live), among more than 100 acts across six stages.
Where is Sónar 2026?
Sónar 2026 takes place entirely at Fira Barcelona Gran Via in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, adjacent to Barcelona. This is the first edition in which all musical programming takes place at a single venue — previous editions split the festival between city-centre day venues and the Fira at night. Sónar+D, the innovation and creativity congress, runs at Llotja de Mar in Barcelona city centre. Take Metro Line L9 Sud to Europa | Fira or Fira stations.
Is Sónar 2026 sold out?
Some ticket categories for Sónar 2026 have sold out, including certain OFFSónar events. Main festival SonarPasses in various categories are still available at sonar.es, but some configurations may be sold through — check the official website for current availability as the June dates approach.
What is the difference between Sónar and OFFSónar?
Sónar is the main festival at Fira Barcelona Gran Via — the official three-day programme of 100+ acts across six stages produced by Advanced Music. OFFSónar is a separate programme of parties and events at Poble Espanyol and other Barcelona venues, produced independently but running in parallel with the main festival. OFFSónar events require separate tickets from the main Sónar pass and are not included in any festival ticket tier.
Is Sónar beginner-friendly?
The festival structure is straightforward — one venue, clear stage designations, good wayfinding. The programming is curated rather than mainstream, which means some artists will be unfamiliar without prior research. The 18+ age policy is strictly enforced. The main practical challenges for first-timers are the late-night programming structure (the festival runs until 7 AM on Friday and Saturday), the OFFSónar parallel calendar which requires separate ticket planning, and the weather variable — June in Barcelona is warm during the day and cool in the Fira at 3 AM. Come prepared for both.
How do I get from Barcelona Airport to Sónar?
Take the Barcelona Metro Line L9 Sud from either the T1 or T2 airport terminals directly to Europa | Fira or Fira stations — both exit at the Fira Barcelona Gran Via complex. No transfer or connection through the city centre is required. Journey time from the airport terminals to the Fira is approximately 15 to 20 minutes. This is one of the most direct festival-to-airport metro connections in European festival culture.
