Lights brighten city streets and festive treats fill shop windows as the holiday season arrives. The countdown to Christmas and year-end events is in full swing, with IFEMA Madrid evolving into a prime leisure and entertainment hub in the capital. The venue’s calendar now balances business conferences with high-quality concerts, festivals, shows, and major exhibitions, a shift highlighted by the general director during the season’s program reveal. Madrid’s cultural scene has earned broad recognition, and IFEMA Madrid mirrors that reputation by blending top-tier entertainment with a cohesive, city-friendly experience. Standout events this season at IFEMA Madrid include:
- Christmas from Starlite (December 14 – 20)
Starlite, a beloved Marbella summer festival, makes its Madrid debut with a Christmas edition featuring international stars. The lineup already features Sting, Rod Stewart, Ricky Martin, Carlos Rivera, Sebastián Yatra, and Juan Magán, with performances pairing music with a rich gastronomic experience. The event promises a dynamic mix of live spectacle and culinary flair for audiences in North America and beyond. [Citation: IFEMA Madrid seasonal program notes]
- Bresh, the most beautiful New Year’s Eve in the world (December 31)
Bresh reshapes nightlife and has become a chic destination for fans, influencers, and celebrities in places like Mexico City, London, and New York. Madrid hosts Bresh at Music Hall for the first time on New Year’s Eve, presenting its largest party yet. With expectations exceeding 10,000 attendees, the night will pulse with reggaeton, pop, and electronic tracks. [Citation: Bresh event overview]
- Circlassica, Great World Circus (November 24 – January 14)
Circlassica delivers a family-friendly Christmas show that elevates contemporary circus through a blend of live orchestra, immersive storytelling, and dazzling costumes—featuring more than 100 outfits and 35 international performers. The production turns acrobatics into a cinematic experience that resonates with both kids and adults. [Citation: Circlassica production notes]
- Jurassic World by Brickman (until January 14)
Pavilion 5.1 at the IFEMA Madrid Fairgrounds hosts an immersive journey into prehistory. The largest LEGO exhibition ever staged in Spain combines dinosaur figures built from bricks with a narrative designed to captivate dinosaur enthusiasts and LEGO fans alike. More than 50 dinosaur characters, meticulously rendered, showcase iconic creatures from Tyrannosaurus rex to Triceratops, with insights into builders’ techniques and storytelling traditions. [Citation: Brickman exhibition brief]
- WAH Madrid (through 2024)
The show’s innovative format and stagecraft have cemented its status as a premier European entertainment experience. The third edition gathers beloved songs from renowned musicians and showcases performances by stars drawn from contemporary theatre and Broadway-scale productions. [Citation: WAH Madrid official program]
- Old Gold, The New Big Show (December 2)
After the record-breaking Christmas edition of Oro Viejo by DJ Nano, which drew tens of thousands, the upcoming performance promises an even bigger, more immersive experience. The concept blends a festive narrative with a mega-show design, unfolding across two stages with advanced technical scale. [Citation: Oro Viejo event recap]
- Malinche (through 2024)
Nacho Cano’s project chronicles a pivotal moment in the birth of mestizaje and features the Mexican classic Mexico Mágico, a celebration of cultural diversity. After more than a decade of development with leading collaborators from the arts, this musical work redefined the genre and refreshed live spectacle. [Citation: Malinche overview]
Madrid Comics Pop-Up and the Madrid Comics Fair unfold in early November, followed by Europe’s largest esports and gaming festival from December 15 to 17, with children and youth events running from December 22 to January 7. [Citation: Madrid gaming and comics lineup]
Hgastronomic ub IFEMA Madrid a walk along the new Gastronomy Boulevard
Along with the broad entertainment slate, visitors can stroll down Avenida de la Gastronomia, a palm-tree lined avenue at the heart of IFEMA Madrid. The project anchors a restoration plan that will eventually feature 32 facilities operated by Areas in 2024, offering a diverse mix of dining concepts. The gastro corridor presents fast-casual options from national and international brands, blending traditional favorites with modern bites. [Citation: Gastronomy boulevard briefing]
On Gastronomy Avenue, guests will discover breweries, ham shops, and tapas bars, including familiar names and international outposts such as SantaGloria Coffee and Bakery, Pepito Grillo, Tim Hortons, and other brands. Healthy choices like Aloha Poke and various Asian-inspired options enrich the menu. [Citation: Culinary directory]
Quality restoration
In the project’s second phase, each pavilion will feature dining spaces inspired by terrace and garden aesthetics. Whether attendees come for fairs, congresses, or shows, IFEMA Madrid will offer a culinary experience that defines Madrid and Spain within the fairgrounds. [Citation: Culinary program notes]
The initiative signals a major upgrade in food offerings. The institution is undergoing a renewal that aligns with its strategic goals and current demand. Emphasis on catering aims to deliver better infrastructure and the best partners for operation, including Areas, Mahou San Miguel, Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, and LOR. The collaboration with these leaders is central to the transformation. [Citation: Strategic partners announcement]
Identity and quality are at the heart of this transformation and will allow millions of annual visitors to enjoy a broader range of cuisines. The aim is to position IFEMA Madrid as a gastronomy reference in the city, delivering a distinctive blend of well-known international brands and local Madrid and Spanish flavors crafted for this gastro venue. Areas leads the service with a major investment in remodeling and launching all catering points, projecting substantial revenue growth over the next decade. [Citation: Gastronomy strategy]