For four nights, the Madrid Río esplanade will become the main stage for the 2026 La Melonera Festival. Arganzuela’s patron saint festival will return from Thursday, September 3, to Sunday, September 6, with free concerts by Sole Giménez, La Frontera, and Rafa Sánchez, among other artists.
The program will also take place at the Nave de Terneras, the Casa del Reloj, and the Virgen del Puerto Chapel. In addition to the music, there will be children’s shows, a foam party, the traditional La Melonera Fun Run, and free melon and sangria tastings.
Four nights of free concerts along the Manzanares River
The opening fireworks will be launched on Thursday, September 3, at 8:30 p.m. from the Casa del Reloj. At the same time, the Placeres Culpables concert will begin at the Madrid Río fairgrounds, followed at 10:00 p.m. by Dollar Selmouni, who will perform a mix of melodic rap, hip-hop, soul, and flamenco.
Friday night will feature some of the most recognizable names on the La Melonera 2026 lineup. La Frontera will perform at 9:00 p.m., and Rafa Sánchez, a singer from La Unión, will take the stage at 10:30 p.m. This will be followed by concerts by Montana and Crocan.
On Saturday, September 5, the winning group of the Arganzuela Popular Music Awards will kick off the program on the esplanade at 8:00 p.m. Marazú will perform at 9:00 p.m., and Sole Giménez will take the stage at 10:30 p.m. The evening will continue with dancing and a live band.
On the last day, Radio Macandé will perform at 8:30 p.m., and at 9:45 p.m., “Voy a pasármelo G” will begin—a tribute concert to Hombres G. The fireworks, scheduled for 11:00 p.m., will bring the festivities to a close on the Madrid Río esplanade.
A foam party, puppet shows, and a race through Madrid Río
The family-friendly program will kick off on Friday at 6:00 p.m. in Plaza de Rutilio Gaci with circus juggling by Máximo Óptimo. On Saturday, starting at 11:00 a.m., there will be games, workshops, and face painting around the Nave de Terneras. At 11:30 a.m., the play *Lucinda, the Witch* will be performed, and half an hour later, a demonstration by the Municipal Police K-9 Unit will begin, followed by the Madrid Fire Department’s foam party.
On Sunday, September 6, the 35th La Melonera Fun Run will take place, one of the longest-running events on Madrid’s calendar. The race will start at 9:00 a .m. in front of the Arganzuela Municipal Council, and there will be 5- and 10-kilometer courses, as well as children’s races tailored to different age groups. At noon, the Nave de Terneras will host a puppet show of *The Three Little Pigs*.
Melons will also have their own spot outside the fairgrounds. On September 4 and 5, from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., the markets in Santa María de la Cabeza and Guillermo de Osma will offer free melon and sangria tastings.