Well after 16 years, the creators of Sónar have finally come up with a solution. SónarKids is a way for the whole family to spend time together without compromising musical passions. Children also have the opportunity to learn by enjoying music and art in a way they never have before. This is just one of the many new surprises Sónar has in stock this year.

With the festival having cemented its place as Barcelona’s finest, one may have expected the moneymen to sit back and reap the rewards. However, judging by its ever-growing popularity, the organizers don’t seem to be taking it easy just yet. After previous visits to cities like Buenos Aires, Tokyo, London and Guadalajara, the Sónar brand raised its global profile this year with its first US appearance. With free entry and a top class lineup that included a mix of Catalan and American artists, the NY show combined multimedia art ideas with electronic music to bring a unique night of musical prestige to the city’s famous Baryshnikov Arts Center.

Closer to home, new ideas have been implemented too. SónarKids is this year’s most notable addition. Taking place on Sunday, June 21st in CCCB and MACBA, it extends the festival to four days and offers a more family- orientated Sónar experience. A glimpse at the lineup may understandably leave people perplexed as to how artists like French techno master Laurent Garnier and hip-hop trio Griffi, M’baka and Mala Rodriguez could possibly entertain a younger audience. Luckily, the creators of Sónar are one step ahead. All the artists performing at SónarKids will have already enthralled older audiences with their shows during the first three days of the festival. Furthermore, they will have specially prepared sets in which they adapt their styles to suit the mini public. And with names also including UK beat-boxing extraordinaire Beardyman and the unique hip-hop hand puppets known as Puppetmastaz, the opportunity would be just silly to turn down. Especially when considering it costs just €18 for anyone over the age of 14 and even less for younger children.

To beef proceedings up even further, SónarKids will also provide an array of creative experiences. DJing and beat-boxing workshops, a skateboarding and finger skating area and even a group of hip-hop dance choreographers are guaranteed to keep everyone active and bouncing at an experience many families will – fondly – remember for years to come.

July 21st