Love To Rock

There are festivals where you eat something forgettable between bands—and then there’s Love to Rock, where the food might just steal the headline slot. On 2 and 3 October, La Marina de València once again becomes the epicentre of a beautiful collision: guitars, greaseproof paper, Michelin stars, and that low-level buzz of people who know they’ve chosen correctly. Because this isn’t just another weekender. It’s a place where indie anthems and high-end cuisine share the same stage—and somehow elevate each other.

Musically, the lineup hits hard and wide. Lori Meyers bring their sun-drenched hooks, León Benavente deliver their cerebral punch, Ginebras add fizz and charm, while Depedro and Los Punsetes round things out with grit, melody, and just enough chaos. It’s a lineup built for movement—between stages, between moods, between bites. Because just steps away from the speakers is Love to Food, the festival’s not-so-secret weapon.

Curated once again by Germán Carrizo—Michelin-starred, Repsol-sunned, and clearly unwilling to let festival food be mediocre—this gastronomic playground has evolved into something of a cult attraction. This year marks its fifth edition, and if anything, it’s getting sharper, bolder, and more ambitious. Carrizo doesn’t come alone. He arrives with a crew that reads like a tasting menu of modern Valencian excellence. Rakel Cernicharo, restless and inventive, brings her boundary-blurring approach—part intuition, part global remix. Alex Vidal channels a passport full of kitchens into dishes that feel both rooted and restless, while Diego Laso leans into precision and instinct, bending Japanese influence into something deeply personal. Then there’s Rafa Morales, threading Mediterranean tradition through a contemporary lens; Roger Julián, quietly championing product, seasonality, and honesty; and Ismael Cano, master of fire, bringing the primal, smoky heartbeat that every great festival needs.

The brief is deceptively simple: high cuisine, festival format. That means dishes designed to be eaten standing up, shared between friends, inhaled between sets—but still crafted with the same care you’d expect from a white-tablecloth dining room. It’s fine dining without the stiffness. Precision without pretension.

And if that wasn’t enough, a fleet of food trucks and a sprawling chill-out area ensure that the experience isn’t just about consumption—it’s about rhythm. Eat, drift, dance, repeat. By the time the sun dips and the amps start to hum a little louder, something shifts. The lines between gig and dinner blur. You’re not just watching bands anymore—you’re tasting the festival, bite by bite, chorus by chorus.

Because Love to Rock isn’t trying to be everything. It just happens to do two things—music and food—exceptionally well, at the exact same time.

For tickets and more information: Love To Rock