Primavera Sound 2026 faced a dramatic first day when torrential rain forced the cancellation of headline performances including Doja Cat, leaving thousands of festival-goers stranded and raising questions about the event's future. The Barcelona festival, which runs through Saturday at Parc del Fòrum, cancelled multiple major acts on Thursday after weather conditions rendered the main stages unsafe.
What happened on opening day
Heavy rainfall, with forecasts predicting 40 to 60 millimetres within an hour, prompted organizers to pull the plug on performances by Doja Cat, Massive Attack, Bad Gyal, and several other headliners. The festival released a statement explaining that "adverse weather and technical conditions" made it impossible for shows to continue safely on the Estrella Damm and Revolut stages. Though some smaller performances went ahead, much of the crowd evacuated the site as conditions worsened.
Artists and fans respond
Doja Cat appeared visibly emotional on Instagram Live, later posting to social media that she had been fully prepared to perform. "Barcelona, I am fully dressed and ready to go to stage but it's just not safe enough to continue the show tonight," she wrote. "I'm so sorry that this is how this has to be right now. I will think of everything I can under the sun to make it up to you." Attendees expressed frustration over the handling of the situation, though the festival noted no serious incidents occurred. Organizers confirmed that refunds would be issued starting June 8th for those affected by Thursday's cancellations.
Festival to continue as planned
Despite the chaos, Primavera Sound confirmed Friday's lineup would proceed as scheduled, with The Cure, Addison Rae, PinkPantheress, Ethel Cain, Skrillex, and others set to perform. The festival reopened at 3:45 pm Friday afternoon, with organizers thanking attendees for their "understanding" throughout the ordeal. An expected 70,000 attendees per day travel internationally to the event, making the disruption particularly significant for fans who had planned their trips around the cancelled performances.
Source: PinkNews
Cover photo: Noland Live / Pexels
