Among the headline names are José Maria Pou, Ruslana, WarCry and Pedro Botero, but there is also room for quintessentially Zaragoza plans such as the Bajada del Canal, a major guiñote final and the Vadorrey neighborhood celebrations. Two days lie ahead, with plenty of reasons not to stay at home.
JOSÉ MARIA POU BECOMES ROALD DAHL IN ‘GIGANTE’
The Teatro Principal is hosting one of the major theatrical productions of the start of the season. José María Pou plays writer Roald Dahl in Gigante, Mark Rosenblatt’s play that reconstructs one of the most controversial moments in the life of the author of Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The production arrives in Zaragoza after successful runs in London, Barcelona and Madrid, and after winning three Olivier Awards in 2025.
This weekend, it can be seen on Saturday 19 at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday 20 at 7:00 p.m. Tickets cost 25 euros.
RUSLANA PERFORMS AT AN EXCLUSIVE CONCERT
One of the weekend’s most special concerts will be led by Ruslana, who finished third in Operación Triunfo 2023. The artist will headline a LOS40 Stage in an intimate format while continuing to work on what will be her next album.
The event will take place on Sunday at 8:00 p.m. at Jardín del Aura. Attendees must obtain an invitation in advance through LOS40, as access is subject to available capacity.
OPERA AND CIRCUS COME TOGETHER AT TEATRO DEL MERCADO
Acrobatics, Cyr wheel, dance, classical singing, flute and piano come together in Replaceta, the Aragonese production with which Teatro del Mercado opens its season. It is directed by Zaragoza-born Daniel Esteban and brings together five performers from different disciplines.
This weekend’s performances will be on Saturday at 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 7:00 p.m., with tickets priced at 15 euros.
MUSIC, ART AND POETRY TAKE OVER THE CENTRAL MARKET
Doing the shopping and suddenly coming across a concert or poetry recital. That is the idea behind “Cuarto y mitad. Arte en el Mercado Central,” which will turn the building into a small cultural venue through Sunday, with free activities.
On Saturday, there will be an artistic-poetic parade at 11:00 a.m., a collective intervention at noon, a workshop to design cloth bags at 6:30 p.m. and a concert by Chavi García & Lucio Cruces at 8:00 p.m. On Sunday, there will be a workshop at 11:00 a.m., a poetry recital at 12:30 p.m. and the exhibition’s closing event at 1:30 p.m.
ARAGONESE BOOKS MOVE OUT TO LA ALJAFERÍA PARK
La Almozara has a plan for reading enthusiasts. The 14th Aragonese Book Fair will be held on Saturday on the Andador 20 de Diciembre, next to La Aljafería Park, with a dozen authors and works in both Spanish and Aragonese.
The fair will open at 10:00 a.m., with the official inauguration at 11:00. In addition to books, there will be entertainment with a cabezudos troupe and live music by Bucardo.
LA PAZ PARK DEBUTS THE ORGULLO DE BARRIO FESTIVAL
Music, activism and neighborhood life will come together on Saturday at the first Orgullo de Barrio Festival, organized by the Federation of Zaragoza Neighborhood Associations. The program will begin at 6:00 p.m. at La Paz Park and continue into the night.
Ixeya, Salvador Gabarre “El Chapi,” Jambass and Bladimir Ros will perform, while the closing will begin at 10:30 p.m. with Sabotage and Salsa en el Solar. The central tribute event of this first edition will also be held at 8:00 p.m.
PARQUE GRANDE BECOMES A FREE GYM
For those who would rather start Saturday by getting active, the Jardín de Invierno in Parque Grande will be transformed into an outdoor gym. The first Fitness in the Parks session will feature a cycling class with a DJ, zumdance and a DEKA pairs event.
The program will begin at 9:30 a.m. with 38 bicycles set up for the cycling session. Zundance will follow at 10:30, and the DEKA event will take place between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Admission is free and no prior registration is required. There will also be games and face painting for children.
VADORREY ENDS ITS CELEBRATIONS WITH CONCERTS, CABEZUDOS AND JOTAS
The Vadorrey celebrations are entering their final stretch with two particularly packed days. On Saturday, there will be vermouth, a community meal, guiñote, rabino and darts tournaments, cabezudos, a children’s show and music. Grupo Primavera will perform at 9:00 p.m., followed at midnight by Tono Barriero, an El Barrio tribute act.
The festivities will continue on Sunday with vermouth at 12:30 p.m., cabezudos and a jota festival at 5:30 p.m., before the official end of the celebrations at 8:00 p.m.
544 PLAYERS COMPETE FOR 20,000 EUROS IN GUIÑOTE
Few things are more Aragonese than a game of guiñote, although this time there will be much more at stake than paying for the next round. The Auditorio’s Sala Multiusos will host 544 players on Sunday for the grand final of the Gran Premio de Guiñote Full Energía.
The competition will begin at 9:30 a.m. and continue until 8:00 p.m., with 20,000 euros in prize money. The winning pair will take home 12,000 euros. The event will also be open to the public and include a brass band, migas and other traditional activities.
THE TRADITIONAL BAJADA DEL CANAL RETURNS ON SUNDAY
The Canal Imperial will once again fill with boats for one of Zaragoza’s best-known neighborhood events. The 44th Bajada del Canal will take place on Sunday, combining celebration and activism, as it has done for more than four decades.
The departure will be at 10:00 a.m. from the Rincón de Goya footbridge, and the route will end at La Paz Park. This year’s demands once again include restoring the riverbanks as a linear park and climate refuge.
VINTAGE CLOTHING, VINYL AND BOOKS AT RETRO MARKET
Las Armas square will travel back several decades on Sunday with the third edition of Retro Market Zaragoza. From 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., visitors will find stalls selling second-hand clothing, vintage garments, vinyl records, books, ceramics, retro decorations and recycled objects. Admission will be free.
The market will also have a strong family focus, with children’s workshops, crochet, storytelling, theater in English and a Lindy Hop session with Swing & Co. Social initiatives such as Cáritas and Aida Books will also take part.
A MUSICAL JOURNEY TO MUDEJAR ZARAGOZA IN SAN PABLO
San Pablo Church will provide the setting on Sunday for a very different proposal. Saulus Ensemble will perform Mudéjar, a program created around the 2026 Mudejar Year that seeks to reflect cultural blending through pieces from the Cancionero de Palacio and Sephardic and Mozarabic melodies.
The concert will begin at 7:00 p.m. and is part of the seventh edition of the Saulus Vocal Festival.
WARCRY AND PEDRO BOTERO BRING THE HEAVIEST ROCK
There will also be room for heavy metal on Saturday. WarCry and Pedro Botero will share the stage at the Auditorio’s Sala Multiusos as part of the eighth Pop-Rock 90’s Competition. The Asturian band will arrive as one of the leading names in Spanish heavy metal, while Pedro Botero will bring the weight of one of the historic bands of Aragonese rock.
Doors will open at 8:00 p.m., and the concerts will begin at 9:00 p.m. Tickets are on sale in different formats, including a VIP option.
TWO MORE NIGHTS OF MUSIC AT TEATRO DE LAS ESQUINAS
There is still another musical option. On Saturday 19, Gonzalo Hermida will bring his Bandera de libertad tour to Teatro de las Esquinas, in a seated and more intimate format than usual. On Sunday 20, it will be the turn of Bunbury & Héroes Experience, a show covering different stages of the careers of Enrique Bunbury and Héroes del Silencio.
FIREFIGHTERS’ RACE
One of the most popular events on the sporting calendar in the Aragonese capital will once again fill the streets with runners this Sunday. In its 11th edition, it will set a participation record with 5,500 runners and begin at 9:30 a.m. at the Fire Station, passing by some of the Aragonese capital’s most iconic locations.
