In short
- Cartagena Suena Navidad will not take place this year: the organising company has cancelled it due to 'unforeseen personal circumstances' affecting the project's management.
- Tickets already bought will be refunded through the official sales channels, according to the festival's statement; there are no deadlines or details of the procedure yet.
- The concerts by Despistaos, La M.O.D.A. and Demarco Flamenco are off, as are two days of Rock in Carthago and the Tardebuena, Preuvas and New Year's Eve parties in the Rambla marquee.
- The organisers want to bring the project back in 2027 and stress that the decision rests solely with the organising company, for a festival the City Council had declared to be of special cultural significance.
Cartagena Suena Navidad will not be putting up its marquee this December. The festival, which was due to take over the Parque de la Rambla, next to the Cartagonova stadium, from 17 December to 10 January, has announced on its social media that it is cancelling this edition due to 'unforeseen personal circumstances that directly affect the project's management', as reported by Europa Press. Anyone who already had a ticket for Despistaos or La M.O.D.A. will get their money back through the official sales channels.
Why Cartagena Suena Navidad has been cancelled
The festival's statement, released on Friday 6 November, puts the cancellation down to these personal circumstances in the management, without giving further details. The organisers insist that the decision was taken 'exclusively' by the organising company. Cartagena Suena Navidad was produced by Raw Music, with backing from Cartagena City Council, which in October declared it an event of special cultural significance for the city, a status that exempted it from fees for using public space.
What happens to tickets
Tickets had been on sale since 13 October on the festival's website. According to the statement, they will be refunded through the official sales channels. The festival has not yet said whether the refund will be automatic or how long it will take, so it is worth keeping your proof of purchase and keeping an eye on the email address used to place the order.
The concerts that are off
The programme presented in October combined concerts and parties in a marquee with a capacity of around 2,500 people:
- Friday 18 December: Despistaos, with the opening party.
- Saturday 19 December: La M.O.D.A. and Pájaro Guía.
- Sunday 20 and Sunday 27 December: the two days of Rock in Carthago, featuring rock bands from Cartagena.
- Saturday 26 December: Demarco Flamenco.
Around these concerts, the schedule included an opening afternoon party on 17 December, Tardebuena on the 24th, the Preuvas party on the 30th and the New Year's Eve party, Welcome 2027, plus sessions for a young audience until 10 January.
Cartagena Suena wants to return in 2027
The organising company says it intends to resume the project in 2027. The Cartagena Suena brand has held five editions in the city, and the 2025 edition drew around 37,000 people, according to figures given when this Christmas edition was presented.
For the Region of Murcia, the live music calendar for the coming months continues in our guide to festivals in the Region of Murcia and in our guide to December 2026 festivals in Spain. Cartagena also has a confirmed date for the summer: Rock Imperium 2027, with Evanescence and Marilyn Manson, at Parque El Batel from 1 to 4 July.
Sources: Cartagena Suena statement on social media as reported by Europa Press (6 November 2026); Cartagena Diario and Cartagena Actualidad (programme presentation, 9 October 2026).
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