And I have great news: itâs a long weekend! Of course, if you work remotely and your office is in, I donât know, Kisangani (a real place!), then I guess it makes no difference to you.
There are so many things happening this long weekend. Mainly, weâre celebrating that Latin Americans are bringing all their wealth here Hispanic heritage, and the fact that everyone speaks Spanish there by some weird providential coincidence and not because we went, we saw, we conquered.
So letâs all celebrate that many centuries ago, for a fleeting moment, we were the strongest and most influential country in the world (until King Philip II lost it all in some bad crypto investments or something).
Happy long weekend!
1. đȘđž Fighter jets, tanks, and the King in military regalia: No, itâs not a coup⊠Itâs Spainâs biggest parade!
Remember those fighter jets youâve been hearing in the sky lately? The ones that made you grab your go-bag, cry, and suddenly think about how much you love your parents?Thatâs right, it wasnât the Russians (or Trump)! It was just the Air Force pilots rehearsing for Spainâs biggest celebration of the year, the National Day Parade.
Look, if you come from abroad, this may be difficult to swallow,but Oct. 12 is a big freaking deal here. Spainâs National Day, also known as DĂa de la Hispanidad, is the equivalent of Franceâs Bastille Day, or July 4th in the US.
Itâs the day we commemorate Christopher Columbusâs (aka Cristobal ColĂłn) arrival in the Americas in 1492, an event that marked the beginning of Spainâs expansion across the Atlantic, so we celebrate the historical and cultural ties between our country and the Spanish-speaking world. We also donât talk about the rest. Conquistadors and the indigenous peoples became friends, had a great time, and thatâs all there is to it. End of story. Hurray, us!
Anyway, every year there are thousands of soldiers on the streets â along with armored vehicles and fighter jets in the sky, some fireworks, and King Felipe VI (aka F6). Itâs a pretty cool parade happening in the heart of Madrid.
And so, on Monday (a holiday in Spain, obvi), the Armed Forces will take over Paseo del Prado and Paseo de Recoletos for the countryâs biggest annual military parade.
Look up! The festivities kick off at 11 a.m. with the arrival of the King and Queen Letizia, followed by military honors, a spectacular parachute jump, the raising of the Spanish flag, and a tribute to fallen service members. Then comes the fun part: the aerial parade, featuring military aircraft flying over central Madrid. Itâs just like Top Gun but less gay.
And look down! Once the planes have done their thing, the ground parade begins. There will be soldiers from different branches of Spainâs Armed Forces, members of the Guardia Civil and National Police, military vehicles, and plenty of uniforms.
Whereâs the action? The parade starts at the Glorieta del Emperador Carlos V (near Atocha), travels north along Paseo del Prado and Paseo de Recoletos, and finishes at Plaza de ColĂłn. Thatâs a pretty spectacular stretch of Madrid, although you should expect huge crowds, security barriers, and road closures throughout the area.
Our advice? Get there early, find yourself a good spot along the route, and remember to look up. If military parades arenât your thing,
đ Where: Paseo del Prado and Paseo de Recoletos, from Atocha to Plaza de ColĂłn, Madrid
đ When: Oct. 12, starting at 11 a.m.
đïž Tickets: Free!
2. đ But wait, thereâs more: Four days, 150 events, and a whole lot of Hispanidad!
Turns out Mondayâs military parade is just the cherry on top. We still havenât mentioned whatâs below the cherry!
You see, Madrid is wrapping up its annual Hispanidad festival with free concerts, flamenco, Mexican food, jazz, and a Colombian pop superstar, all of this in order to apologize for the sins committed during the conquest celebrate the Spanish language.
Lest you forget, more than 600 million people worldwide speak Spanish, and Madrid wants to celebrate that fact. The festival features more than 150 activities across the region, so take note.
Hereâs what to put on your calendar:
Friday: Start exploring, just like Chris Columbus did (the explorer, not the film director)!
The festival isnât just about concerts. Cultural venues across Madrid, including Teatros del Canal, AlcalĂĄ 31, and the Casa Museo de Lope de Vega, are participating with theater, exhibitions, and events celebrating Hispanic history and culture.
Thereâs also a special focus on the U.S., this yearâs guest country, with programming exploring the historical connections between Spain and the US.
Saturday: SebastiĂĄn Yatra takes over Madrid
The Colombian superstar headlines the festival with afree concert at Plaza de España. Join thousands of people singing Tacones Rojos, Vagabundo, Traicionera (songs I donât personally know but I hear are pretty kewl). This is probably the weekendâs biggest musical attraction, so donât arrive five minutes before the show.
Sunday: Marta SĂĄnchez celebrates 40 years of pop!
One of Spainâs biggest pop divas takes over Plaza de España for another free concert, celebrating four decades in the music business. Her playlist is basically a crash course in Spanish pop history. And yes, youâll probably hear Desesperada.
Monday: Happy National Day!
The festival concludes on DĂa de la Hispanidad, with celebrations across the capital. Besides the military parade (see above), check the festivalâs final-day program for additional concerts, exhibitions, and cultural activities.
And thereâs more than enough to keep you busy between concerts. Madridâs municipal markets, including BarcelĂł, La Cebada, AntĂłn MartĂn, and San Isidro, are joining the celebrations with food tastings, live music, and folkloric performances.
Meanwhile, the festivalâs broader program includes Mexican gastronomy at Ăgave y MaĂz, jazz, Afro-Cuban funk, flamenco, and plenty of Latin American music. Check the official schedule before heading out.
Our advice? Yatra on Saturday, Marta SĂĄnchez on Sunday, and a little food and culture in between.
Quite a lot, apparently. And a new exhibition in Madrid is here to explain why.
Continentes como semillas (Continents Like Seeds) brings together three artists: Argentinaâs La Chola Poblete and Spainâs Niño de Elche and Pedro G. Romero, to explore how centuries of colonialism (kinda topical this weekend) continue to shape our identities, traditions, and even the objects we consider part of our national cultures. Sounds a little academic? Bear with us. Thereâs some genuinely fascinating history here. Hereâs what youâll discover:
Flamenco has traveled more than you think. Experimental flamenco singer Niño de Elche and artist Pedro G. Romero trace the surprising connections between Spain, Mexico, the Philippines, Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Samoa. Their work follows the colonial trade routes of the Manila Galleons, which connected Asia, the Americas, and Europe for more than 200 years. Expect music, sound installations, and some unexpected cultural connections.
Meet La Chola Poblete. The Argentine artist explores how colonialism, religion, capitalism, and gender have shaped Latin American identities. Her drawings bring together the Virgin Mary, Pachamama (the Andean earth deity), Che Guevara, trans identities, and even the logo of Quilmes beer (Argentinaâs Budweiser). Itâs a provocative mix of sacred imagery, popular culture, and political commentary.
Art that doesnât give you easy answers. Through sculpture, drawings, sound, and performance, the exhibition challenges our assumptions about cultural ownership. Who gets to claim a tradition as their own? What happens when something travels across continents and becomes part of another culture? And how much of what we call Spanish actually came from somewhere else?
Our favorite part? The exhibition is also about how people adapted, resisted, and reinvented the cultures they inherited. And if youâve ever wondered how a Chinese shawl became a flamenco essential, well, now youâve got a reason to visit.
đWhere: La Casa Encendida, Ronda de Valencia 2, Madrid
đ When: Check website for exhibition dates and opening hours
đïž Tickets: Free admission
4. đ Fiestas de El Pilar: Free concerts, fireworks, and five days of partying in a neighborhood youâve never been to
Grab your map, people! Weâre going on an adventure to⊠El Pilar! For those of you who suck at exploring (unlike Christ Columbus), El Pilar is a neighborhood in northern Madrid (close to IE University), and this weekend itâs celebrating its annual neighborhood festival with free concerts, DJs, carnival rides, and probably alcohol, but you didnât hear that from us.
Most of the action takes place aroundParque de la Vaguada (look it up!), and the lineup is pretty impressive for a neighborhood party.
Hereâs whatâs happening this weekend:
Friday: Spanish pop-rock band Despistaos (you donât know them) performs at 10 p.m., followed by DJ Nano (you also donât know him) at 11:45 p.m. Perfect if youâre in the mood for a Friday night out.
Saturday: Itâs Childrenâs Day, with circus shows, climbing walls, go-karts, and games. At night, thereâs an Extremoduro (yup, you also donât know them) tribute at 9 p.m. and Demarco Flamenco at 11:30 p.m. Skip this one if you hate children.
Sunday: The festivalâs Noche Joven brings Soge Culebra (10 p.m.) and Hermanos MartĂnez (11:15 p.m.), followed by a DJ session. Honestly, I donât know any of these people.
Monday: Celebrate Spainâs National Day with Latin American music and dance from 11:30 a.m., catch Tamara and Francisco at 8 p.m., and enjoy the fireworks finale at 10 p.m. in Parque de la Alcazaba. Well⊠great.
Our advice? Come for the food, stay for the neighborhood atmosphere, and donât miss Mondayâs fireworks!
đWhere: Parque de la Vaguada and surrounding venues, Madrid
đ When: Oct. 8â12
đïžTickets: Free concerts and main festivities
5. đ Verborrea: Punk rebellion meets Madridâs housing market.
What happens when punk rockers grow old? Thatâs the premise of Verborrea, a new play making its premiere at Madridâs Nave 10 Matadero (as the spawn of former rock singers myself, I know the answer to that question and trust me, that wasnât my experience).
Segismundo TĂłxico, the bandâs former singer, now lives in a rundown house in the mountains north of Madrid. He makes ends meet selling badges outside Taylor Swift concerts and dealing small amounts of drugs.
Meanwhile, his family wants him out so they can renovate the property and turn it into an Airbnb (in this political climate? Thatâs adventurous).
Beneath the humor, Verborrea explores something more universal: growing older and watching your dreams slip away.
Our advice? If you enjoy sharp Spanish theater with dark humor and a little social commentary, this oneâs worth checking out.
đ Where: Nave 10 Matadero, Paseo de la Chopera 14, Madrid
đ When: Through Nov. 1 (TuesdayâSunday)
đïž Tickets: âŹ15.75
đș What to watch if you donât want to leave the couch this weekendâŠ
đș TV Series: The Castle (El Castillo) | 2026
đWhere to watch: Movistar+
âWhatâs it about: Liesa is a young inspector working for Spainâs police unit specializing in immigration and human trafficking. With his partner, he begins investigating suspicious changes in brothels across Spain. They soon uncover a network run by a criminal group involved in the sexual exploitation of foreign women.
Whatâs it about? La Cabra is the Danish specialty coffee brand thatâs made a name for itself in Copenhagen, New York, and beyond, and is opening its first Madrid location today right in the heart of Chueca.
Why you should go: Because La Cabra takes its beans seriously, offering everything from expertly prepared espresso drinks to seasonal coffees brewed by hand.
Bottom line: Madrid's specialty coffee scene just got another international heavyweight.
đ Address: Calle de las Infantas 25, Madrid
đł Caja de Huevos: Madrid's new restaurant is putting all its eggs in one basket
Whatâs it about: Remember Caja de Cerillas, the ChamberĂ restaurant that's become one of Madrid's hardest tables to book? Well, its creator, Enrique ValentĂ, has opened a new spot in Chueca, and this time he's putting eggs at the center of everything.
Why you should go: Because the menu features six variations, including eggs with Iberian ham, chistorra sausage, eggplant and tomato, and even a carbonara-inspired version with guanciale and pecorino. Feeling extravagant? There's also lobster or imperial caviar. Prices range from âŹ18 to âŹ100, depending on how fancy you're feeling.
Bottom line: Come hungry, bring someone to share with, and prepare to reconsider everything you thought you knew about fried eggs.
Address: Calle del Pelayo, 35, Madrid
đšđ»âđ» Viral Videos of the Week
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