Which are the dates?, there is a really good party in the middle of august around the 15th :)

There are two places in Madrid that might not rate guide book placement but are pretty cool. The first is one of the best ice cream places, both for the ambiance and the flavors. Think Starbucks but with ice cream as the main attraction. The place is called Giangrossi (www.giangrossi.es). They have several shops in Madrid The other place, if you like live music is Cafe Jazz Populart (http://www.populart.es/), an intimate venue close to the Plaza Santa Ana with a rotating list of local and international artitsts. Think neighborhood bar with lots of locals and tourists having fun into the wee hours. Have a great time. I love Madrid!

All I can say is one thing: THEMATADERO!!! It is new and hardly anyone knows about it but it is widely worth seeing! It a retired slaughter house converted into a huge art exhibition that spreads out throughout numerous buildings. Almost all exhibits are free. There are also movie festivals super often and all sorts of other amazing things… check it out!!

http://www.mataderomadrid.org/

Also, go to the Rastro in La Latina each Sunday :)