Upcoming
UpcomingFestival60 families interested
International Clown Festival in Cornellà
- When
- Daily Oct 18-25
- Ages
- All ages
- Price
- Some free, from €7.40
Upcoming: International Clown Festival in Cornellà
International Clown Festival in Cornellà
FestivalCornellà de Llobregat60 families interested
Where
Various locations
Getting there
~15m drive from Barcelona
Ages
All ages
Setting
Indoors/outdoors
Plan for
Drop-in, stay as long as kids last
Language
Mostly wordless; some Catalan and Spanish
What to expect
Street shows, circus acts and clown theater across the city
What you need to know
- Skip Monday to Wednesday: October 19 to 21 is for school groups only. The family days are Sunday October 18, Friday October 23, and Saturday and Sunday October 24 and 25
- Every street, square and market show is free, with no booking; you only need a ticket for the circus tent galas and a few theater shows
- Pick your metro stop by zone, all on L5: Cornellà Centre for the old-town squares, Gavarra for the circus tent, Sant Ildefons for Plaça de Sant Ildefons and its market
- Street shows are a morning thing: on the closing weekend the squares run from 11:00am to about 2:00pm, and the afternoons belong to the tent
- Book galas online ahead for 10% off; the tent box office opens 90 minutes before each show, and only if seats are left
About
Every two years Cornellà de Llobregat, just outside Barcelona, turns itself into a clown town. The International Clown Festival, formally the Memorial Charlie Rivel after the Catalan clown who took the act around the world, has run since 1984. The 21st edition runs October 18 to 25, 2026, with 70 performances of 44 shows in 20 spots around town: streets, squares, markets, theaters and a circus tent. Almost everything in the streets and squares is free with no booking. The family days are Sunday October 18 (a morning opening party in the old town), Friday October 23 (clowns in the markets and a 6:00pm parade) and the closing weekend of October 24 and 25, when the squares run back-to-back shows from 11:00am to early afternoon. Monday to Wednesday is for school groups only. The part to book is the Gala Alapista!, a 90-minute variety show for all ages in the circus tent on Plaça de Catalunya, with clowns and acrobats from Catalonia, France, Canada and Brazil. Four galas are open to the public between Friday October 23 and Sunday October 25, and tickets are on sale now.
Schedule
Sun, Oct 18
- 10:30am–1:30pmOpening partyFree. Clown-nose workshop, a face-paint corner, circus games, a photo booth and balloon shapes, spread between Can Maragall and the town hall square. All ages.
- 10:30am"Merograde" by BrincadeiraFree. A drumming show, 30 minutes. Plays again at 11:45am in front of the town hall. All ages.
- 11am"Forat" by Dudu ArnalotFree. Wordless clowning with masks, about a pocket with a hole in it. 40 minutes, all ages.
- 12:45pm"Camelva" by Campi Qui PuguiFree. A giant fairground camel race with players picked from the crowd. 50 minutes, all ages.
- 7pm"GardiZERO" by Gardi HutterTicketed, €16 for every seat, sold at auditoricornella.com. The Spanish premiere of clown Gardi Hutter's solo show. 70 minutes, all ages.
Thu, Oct 22
- 5pm–7pmCardboard clown workshopKids build and paint a cardboard clown to take home, in groups of up to 30. Ages 4 to 11.
Fri, Oct 23
- 10:30am"Hooligans Clowns" by Panettone BrothersFree. A tiny circus troupe roams the market doing classic circus acts. 30 minutes, again at 12:00pm. All ages.
- 10:30am"Conxita Català" by En Clown de VidaFree. A roaming comic character jokes with shoppers at the market and on the nearby shopping streets. 30 minutes, again at 12:00pm. All ages.
- 11am"The Rescue" by Street FoolsFree. Two clumsy ninjas search for their stolen sacred fish. 30 minutes, again at 12:30pm. Ages 4 and up.
- 11:15am"The McKensy's Clan Band" by TraütFree. Eccentric Scots with bagpipes and drums. 45 minutes, again at 12:45pm. All ages.
- 6pmClown paradeFree. Street companies, a horse-drawn carriage and the Cornellà giants walk from the market to the circus tent. About 60 minutes, all ages.
- 7:30pmGala Alapista! charity nightTicketed, €7.40 for every seat, with the takings going to the Red Cross. 90 minutes, all ages.
Sat, Oct 24
- 11am"A vida tola" by La PajaritoFree. A solo clown turns the street and the people passing by into her game. 55 minutes, all ages.
- 11am"The Pestoff" by ClownbaretFree. Two clowns throw their company a birthday party, cake included. 50 minutes, ages 6 and up.
- 11am"Petit o gran?" by Cia. Albert VinyesFree, but sign up first at biblioteques.cornella.cat or on 93 376 01 11. A man with a suitcase turns into a clown in front of the kids.
- 12pm"Gota" by Txema MuñozFree. Gentle visual magic with cups, coins and spoons. 45 minutes, ages 6 and up.
- 12pm"SHHHH!" by Cia. A TopeFree. A wordless duo of acrobatics and mime. 45 minutes, all ages.
- 12pm"Piti Peta Hofen Show" by LPMFree. Three jugglers from three countries, with lots of comedy. 45 minutes, all ages.
- 1pm"Banana Flup" by Street FoolsFree. Two characters turn up in a life raft, ready for the great flood. 45 minutes, ages 4 and up.
- 1pm"Ambicions" by Teatro Sobre RuedasFree. A violinist who always wants to climb a little higher. 45 minutes, ages 6 and up.
- 5pmGala Alapista!Ticketed: adults €17.60, kids 2 to 12 €7.40. Clowns, acrobats and a live band in a 90-minute variety show for all ages.
- 6pm"Alter" by Cia. Albert VinyesFree. Three clowns missing their fourth, in a street show made for this festival. 60 minutes, ages 3 and up.
- 8pmGala Alapista! (late show)Ticketed: adults €17.60, kids 2 to 12 €7.40. Clowns, acrobats and a live band in a 90-minute variety show for all ages.
Sun, Oct 25
- 11am"Crescendo" by GarrapeteFree. Two oddball musicians mix live music with clowning. 50 minutes, all ages.
- 11am–1pmClown-nose workshopFree. Kids make a clown nose from recycled materials with El Burro dels Jocs. Ages 5 and up.
- 11am"La llegada" by Koilara TeatroFree. A radio crew reports live as a spaceship gets ready to land. 50 minutes, all ages.
- 11:30am"Kaboom" by Cia. SabanniFree. A traveling clown and his cart reach a crossroads and need the crowd to pick the way. 50 minutes, ages 4 and up.
- 11:45am"K'Mon Tour" by Cia. PerNassosFree. A walking show that sets off from the town hall: two clown tour guides lead the crowd around the neighborhood. 50 minutes, all ages.
- 12pm"Tot bé!" by Cia. CurollesFree. Two goofballs with 21 spinning tops, a saw, a ladder and a lot of plates. 50 minutes, all ages.
- 12pm"3clowns" by Les Bleus de TravailFree. Three veteran clowns dress, make up and rehearse classic routines in front of the crowd. 55 minutes, ages 6 and up.
- 12pm"Temps encara tenim" by Cia. ImpulsosFree. Two performers play with balance and the passing of time. 50 minutes, all ages.
- 12:30pm"WooF" by Pere HostaFree. A clown shows what dogs might be thinking. 40 minutes, all ages.
- 1pm"Ginger & Monique" by La Fatal CompañíaFree. Two hostesses present comedy, circus and music. 50 minutes, all ages.
- 1pm"La Clessidra" by Duo X CasoFree. Clowning and acrobatics in a forgotten circus. 50 minutes, ages 3 and up.
- 5pmGala Alapista! (closing gala)Ticketed: adults €17.60, kids 2 to 12 €7.40. Clowns, acrobats and a live band in a 90-minute variety show for all ages.
- 5pm"Com els pingüins" by La BledaTicketed: adults €14.65, kids €7.40. A clown show set around doctors and hospitals. 50 minutes, all ages.
- 7pmClosing party with Artistas del GremioFree. A comedy band plays the festival out with live music, outside the tent. 70 minutes, all ages.
Street shows free; tent galas €17.60, kids €7.40
Dates & times
Sun 18 – Sun 25 Oct
Public shows are on Sun Oct 18 and from Thu Oct 22 to Sun Oct 25. Mon to Wed is school sessions only.
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Where it is
- Various locations
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9 spots on the map
Common questions
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