“Sónar is dead”: the Barcelona festival deletes its posts and opens a book of condolences

The future of Sónar, one of Barcelona’s best-known electronic music festivals, has become uncertain after a series of changes to its official channels.

The organisers have posted a message presenting the supposed death of the festival, accompanied by a funeral aesthetic and references to its history.

However, there is no official confirmation that Sónar will disappear for good. The move could be part of a communications campaign, though those responsible have yet to explain their intentions.

A website turned into a funeral tribute

Visitors to Sónar’s official website are met with a very different presentation than usual.

Instead of the usual information about concerts and programming, there is a reference to the festival’s death, alongside the dates 1994–2026.

The page also features a virtual book of condolences where visitors can leave messages.

The initiative recreates the elements of a funeral farewell, but without offering any explanation about the event’s future.

Sónar deletes its Instagram posts

The transformation has also reached social media.

According to reports, the festival’s Instagram account has deleted its previous posts, leaving only a video featuring a funeral wreath.

This radical change in image has increased uncertainty about what the organisers are planning.

The combination of the farewell message, the book of condolences, and the disappearance of previous content suggests a coordinated action, though its purpose remains unknown.

Is Sónar being cancelled or is this a publicity campaign?

This is the main question raised by the initiative.

For now, the organisers have not explicitly announced the permanent closure of the festival, nor have they explained whether the message is part of a campaign to introduce changes to the project.

The staging could signal a rebranding, a new artistic proposal, or a promotional strategy. However, none of these possibilities has been confirmed.

No details have been shared to indicate whether the move will affect future editions.

The festival’s future remains uncertain

Sónar is one of the most recognisable fixtures on Barcelona’s cultural calendar and an international reference point for electronic music and audiovisual experimentation.

That’s why the appearance of a message announcing its death is particularly striking.

For now, the only information available is what has been published on its official channels: a symbolic farewell, the dates “1994–2026”, and an invitation to leave condolences.

We will have to wait for the organisers to clarify whether Barcelona is witnessing the end of Sónar as we know it or the beginning of a new era.

Sónar’s “death” has turned out to be a promotional campaign announcing a new phase for the festival. In 2027, the organisers plan to restore the separation between daytime and nighttime programming: Sónar de Día would move to the waterfront, in the Port Vell de Barcelona area, possibly at the Tinglados, where the Sónar+D congress would also return. Meanwhile, Sónar de Noche would remain at Fira Gran Via, in L'Hospitalet de Llobregat. The change comes after the 2026 format, which concentrated all programming in a single venue, drew criticism from attendees for its empty feel and loss of the usual atmosphere. The next edition of Sónar will take place from 17 to 19 June 2027.