August festivals are the highlight of the Community of Madrid's cultural agenda this weekend, with an extensive musical program spanning concerts in squares and venues across the region. In the capital, the La Paloma festivals present shows like ‘Regreso a los 80’ featuring Los Refrescos, Modestia Aparte, and Fernandisco at Las Vistillas, alongside performances by DePol and Miss Caffeina.
Other towns are also celebrating their festivities with significant musical events. In San Lorenzo de El Escorial, the Monastery's Lonja hosts concerts by Serko and DJ Pulpo y Metro Pop. Chinchón features DePol and Henry Méndez at the Castillo's Plaza de Armas. Leganés's fairgrounds, during the Butarque festivities, welcome Café Quijano and Demarco Flamenco, while in Pinto, the group Sidecars will perform on stage.
Beyond the festivals, the Veranos de la Villa cycle complements the offerings with musical events such as Portuguese fado singer Teresinha Landeiro performing at the cloister of IES San Isidro. This same venue will host a Zarzuela Night on Saturday, featuring soprano Carmen Avivar, tenor Eduardo Sandoval, and pianist José Ramón Martín, performing works by composers like Sorozábal and Chueca.
On Sunday, the IES San Isidro will host a tribute to Billie Holiday by American singer T.J. Jazz. Outside these cycles, Sala El Sol presents Ryan Davis and The Roadhouse Band on Saturday with an American roots-inspired performance.
The zarzuela La verbena de la Paloma is being performed until Sunday at the Teatro La Latina, coinciding with the namesake festivals. This lyrical sainete, premiered in 1894, depicts the popular Madrid of the late 19th century and is part of the Zarzuela en la Latina programming.
The Fuencarral-El Pardo Puppet Festival continues to entertain families with shows like Tito el elefantito by the company El Globo Rojo, presented on Sunday at the Templete del Parque de la Vaguada. The satirical comedy Pareja abierta by Darío Fo and Franca Rame returns to the Teatros Luchana on Saturday, addressing themes like machismo and communication in relationships.
At the Teatro Lara, the mystery-comedy Por Mis Muertos by José Warletta is still running. Meanwhile, the Artes Escénicas en Municipios cycle brings the circus show Seu-te! by Acrobàcia Mínima to Navarredonda-San Mamés (Friday), Fresnedillas de la Oliva (Saturday), and Puebla de la Sierra (Sunday).
Other circus and family shows include Riddi Pagliaccio in El Atazar (Friday) and Brea de Tajo (Saturday), Ni fú ni fá by Cía. La Buffa in Buitrago del Lozoya (Friday), Play Time by Chisgarabís and Kanbahiota in Cervera de Buitrago (Saturday) and Los Molinos (Sunday), Nil by Minusmal in Valdepiélagos (Saturday), and The Wind Garden. El Jardín del Viento by Cal y Canto Teatro in Horcajo de la Sierra-Aoslos (Sunday).
In the exhibition sphere, the Sala Canal de Isabel II presents El Gran Azul, a selection of marine wildlife photographs by Álvaro Herrero López-Beltrán at the Parque de Santander. CondeDuque hosts the exhibition Yo fui a EGB, focusing on intergenerational nostalgia.
The Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum features a retrospective of Carmen Laffón until September 27th. The Centro Cultural de Collado Mediano presents the exhibition PRECINE, exploring the origins of cinema, until September 3rd. The Museo del Romanticismo offers free admission until August 31st, including the temporary exhibition El artista en Italia.
The Museo Legends maintains the exhibition Casillas: el legado de una leyenda, a tribute to the former goalkeeper, until the end of August. The Community of Madrid organizes free theatrical guided tours through the historic center of Alcalá de Henares on Saturdays, focusing on the legacy of Miguel de Cervantes.
The inclusive cinema cycle of Veranos de la Villa at CondeDuque screens Billy Elliot on Saturday, followed by a discussion on mental health. Summer cinemas continue outdoors, with screenings like Spider-Man: Un nuevo día, Minions & Monsters, Kill Bill: The Whole Bloody Affair, and Backrooms at the Fescinal in the Parque de la Bombilla.
To celebrate the International Roller Coaster Day, Parque Warner Madrid, the Parque de Atracciones, and Aquopolis Villanueva de la Cañada offer attractions such as Batman Gotham City Escape, Abismo, and Kilauea. For refreshment in the capital, various swimming pools and hotel rooftops like the Hotel Emperador or Hyatt Centric Gran Via Madrid provide options.
