By @IanMount and @AdrianBono | July 19, 2024 | Madrid | Issue #63
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Here Are 5 Things to Do in Madrid This Weekend
Happy Heatwave Friday, everyone!
Weâre officially in the first heat wave of the summer! However, fear not because we at Tapa have been working around the clock to make sure that you have some fairly decent options to escape the asphalt-melting temperatures that are going to pummel us all this weekend.
Do you love reggaeton? We have a plan for that. Want to eat and drink until you drop? We also have a plan for that. So grab your friends, create a WhatsApp group called âHeatwave 2024â and get ready to make the best of this (historic?) weekend.
At least until the next heatwave in two weeks.
Enjoy!
1. Reggaeton Beach Festival
If you donât like reggaeton, look away.
After last yearâs drama, which saw Madridâs Reggaeton Beach Festival canceled only three days before it started, it looks like this year itâs definitely going to happen.
The largest âUrban Beach Festivalâ in Europe (*rolls eyes*) is taking place this weekend, featuring a large beach with inflatables and water attractions, food stalls and workshops, and of course, performances by the best in reggaeton. To us writers of Tapa, this is quite possibly our worst nightmare, but we donât judge you if you like it.
RBF is celebrating this edition in Madrid by bringing together reggaeton lovers and top global artists with a festival that returns to the city full of new features, surprises, improved areas, and a unique experience created for reggaeton fans, along with world-renowned artists who will make up a great lineup.
âWho?â you ask. Well, we donât know them but we hope you do. This edition features artists such as Anuel AA, Farruco, Bryant Myers, Tiago PZK, El Alfa, MarĂa Becerra, Tainy, Lunay, De La Ghetto, Ălvaro DĂaz, Noriel, and Chimbala, as well as top-level DJs like Albert GonzĂĄlez, DJ Martino, CĂ©sar Novero, Biel Castell, and Anthony Ready & Yeigo.
Woohoo! Also, thereâs an âurban beachâ so you can cool down while not leaving the comfort of the city. See? Sometimes we feel like we spoil you.
Reggaeton Beach Festival Madrid. Camino de Perales 23, Madrid RĂo. July 20 & 21.Check website for schedules. Tickets start at âŹ80.
2. Dinosaurs From Patagonia Exhibit
If youâd rather stay home watching Jurassic Park III than listen to De La Ghetto, then youâre going to love this one.
CaixaForum Madrid invites you to join them on a journey of a lifetime, as thanks to the miracle of DNA engineering theyâve managed to clone dinosaurs and bring them back to life.
Lol, kidding. But admit it, you were excited there for a second. No, unfortunately, this event is a lot less exciting than having a real-life T-Rex munching on humans, but we guess it will have to do.
Discover the great dinosaurs that once roamed the Patagonian region (currently Argentina and Chile) through the work of paleontologists. This exhibition consists of several replicas and fossils of dinosaur skeletons found in the area and features 13 modules focused on the main dinosaurs discovered in the region, grouped into carnivorous species, giant sauropods, and smaller herbivorous species.
It also includes 15 casts of dinosaur skeletons and a selection of original fossils that reveal how evolutionary changes occurred in different dinosaur groups. The star of the exhibit is a replica of a Patagotitan mayorum, a 30m-long specimen that will leave you saying âdamn, thatâs one big-ass dinosaurâ.
So, if youâre on the fence about this, think of it this way: Pros? The dinosaurs will not try to eat you. Cons? The dinosaurs will not try to eat you. You decide.
Dinosaurios de la Patagonia. CaixaForum Madrid, Paseo del Arte 36, Madrid. Through April 6. Mondays to Sundays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets: âŹ6.
3. La Casa Encendidaâs Magnetic Rooftop
Considering itâs like a million degrees out, why not watch a movie in a rooftop with a bunch of strangers? This is what La Terraza Magnetica offers tonight, if you care to know.
La Terraza MagnĂ©tica (the magnetic rooftop) offers a bunch of cultural and fun activities in the summer, as you can see from the video above. Many of them (like tomorrowâs live concert of Tomoko Sauvage) are sold out, but you still have time to buy tickets for tonightâs screening of Petite Maman, a French movie by CĂ©line Sciamma from 2021.
The plot revolves around Nelly, âan 8-year-old who just lost her grandmother. While helping her parents empty the house where her mother grew up, she explores the surrounding forest with intrigue, where her mother used to play as a child. The journey becomes an exciting adventure for Nelly, who marvels at discovering her motherâs universe as a child, allowing her to connect with her in a magical and unusual wayâ.
If Sciammaâs last name rings a bell, thatâs because her film Portrait of a Lady on Fire won Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019.
If youâre into cool films and cool locations, do not miss this one.
Petite Maman at La Casa Encendida. La Casa Encendida, Ronda de Valencia, 2, Madrid. July 19, 10:30 p.m. Tickets: âŹ4.
4. Ruta de la Tapa FrĂa
Itâs been a while since we had a tapas route, isnât it? Well, they are back. And this is a cold tapas route, which makes it perfect for this heatwave.
The fiestas del Carmen are ending this weekend (donât worry, we totally forgot about them too) and Calle Ponzano, one of Madridâs most popular gastronomic streets, is celebrating in the best way you can imagine: tons of tapas.
With the Cold Tapas Route, foodies can enjoy the best fresh and creative tapas offered by the bars and restaurants in the area, such as Casa Fonzo or Los Arcos de Ponzano.
Also participating in the tapa route are Taberna Riverita, El Secreto, El Decano, La MĂĄquina, Casa Tino, Candeli, La FlorerĂa and many more, all of them on Ponzano. All of these establishments have prepared creative and refreshing offerings, a selection of cold tapas that you can pair with a drink, and they only cost between âŹ3.50 and âŹ6.
Youâre very welcome.
Ruta de la Tapa FrĂa. All along Calle Ponzano, ChamberĂ neighborhood, Madrid. Through July 20. Check Instagram page for additional information.
5. Dolla Selmouni at the Casa Arabeâs JardĂn Secreto
Casa Ărabe (the Arabic House) is that beautiful building in Salamanca across the street from the Retiro Park that you always drive by but have probably never entered. Well, this is your chance to do so.
This summer they have again put together an amazing program filled with cultural activities such as music, comedy, and other performances, and this weekend is your last chance to partake in it.
El JardĂn Secreto (the secret garden) is their outdoor bar, and itâs amazing. And tomorrow night itâs time for the soul voice of urban street artist Dollar Selmouni, who throughout his career has demonstrated his versatility, seamlessly blending elements of R&B with urban flamenco.
On top of that, you can try the gastronomy and cocktails in the garden. So if youâre looking for a chill evening of good music and drinks to escape the heat, get your tickets while they last.
Dollar Selmouni at Casa Arabeâs JardĂn Secreto. Calle AlcalĂĄ 62, Madrid. July 20, 9 p.m. Tickets: âŹ10.
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