Around 300 medical professionals from around the world gathered at the event organised by mesoestetic® in our cinemas to share knowledge, experience and a common vision of the present and future of aesthetic medicine.

It was an educational day featuring six presentations that addressed some of the sector’s key challenges and trends. The sessions took place in Theatre 1, which had been fully customised for the occasion, alongside several exhibition areas where attendees could discover the brand’s latest innovations.

The mesoestetic® experience also extended outdoors, with a spectacular brand display on the screens in Callao, and culminated on our terrace with a networking cocktail party accompanied by live jazz music, bringing a fitting conclusion to a day dedicated to science, innovation and networking amongst professionals.

L’Oréal Paris transforms Callao into a huge urban catwalk with the live broadcast of Le Défilé
On 28 September, Plaza del Callao was transformed into a grand stage for fashion and beauty to mark L’Oréal Paris’s Le Défilé, the brand’s international fashion show held in the French capital as part of Paris Fashion Week. Under the slogan “You’re worth it”, the glamour of this major event and the brand’s commitment to diverse and inclusive beauty were brought to the heart of Madrid thanks to a 360° experience that included brand activations in the square, a live broadcast of the fashion show on Callao City Lights, and an exclusive event held inside Cines Callao, organised by L’Oréal Paris and ¡HOLA! magazine

At 9.00 pm, the Callao City Lights screen in Plaza del Callao broadcast the fashion show live from Paris, allowing the public gathered there to follow one of L’Oréal Paris’s major international events in real time. The broadcast drew a large crowd to the square and turned the giant digital screen into a direct window onto Paris Fashion Week.

The broadcast provided the grand finale to an afternoon of activities in the square, where L’Oréal Paris set up various areas inspired by the French capital to bring its world of beauty to the public. Among the activities on offer, attendees were able to enjoy a free professional make-up service, take part in a catwalk show open to the public and pose in front of a small replica of the Eiffel Tower, as well as stopping off at a Parisian-inspired bistro for a coffee or winning gifts when purchasing the brand’s products.

From the square to Cines Callao

The experience also extended inside the Cines Callao building, where ¡HOLA! magazine, in partnership with L’Oréal Paris, organised an exclusive event in Screen 1 to mark Le Défilé. The event brought together well-known women from the national scene for a gala dinner featuring a live musical performance by María Carmona and a live broadcast of the L’Oréal Paris fashion show, linking the event to what was happening simultaneously in Paris and in Plaza del Callao.

De esta forma, una misma acción conectó calle, gran formato digital, experiencias de marca y espacios interiores, creando diferentes puntos de contacto con el público en torno a un acontecimiento internacional. La iniciativa puso de manifiesto, además, la capacidad de Callao City Lights para integrar sus pantallas y espacios en acciones de gran dimensión, en las que el entorno de la plaza del Callao se convierte en un gran escenario para las marcas. Una nueva demostración de que la combinación de la ubicación, el gran formato DOOH y la posibilidad de conectar el exterior con los espacios interiores de Cines Callao permite ampliar una campaña más allá de la exposición publicitaria y construir experiencias capaces de atraer al público, generar contenido y multiplicar la notoriedad de una marca.

A very festive afternoon gathering that began with a welcome drink on our terrace, continued in Room 1 and concluded back on the terrace, where guests were able to enjoy a cocktail whilst listening to live music from the band Mala Vida and a DJ. An event aimed at the corporate sector that brought together some of the leading players in the national MICE industry in a relaxed setting.

Conecta ONE-TO-ONE is an initiative by Jonathan Ysaye and Jordi Nexus, launched in 2020 to transform communication and networking within the events sector.

Formula 1 has returned to Madrid, and the Atlassian Williams F1 Team has chosen Callao City Lights to bring the excitement of the Spanish Grand Prix to thousands of fans. To mark the first edition of the race at the Madrid circuit, the British team has developed, in collaboration with Alfred and You, a 360° campaign combining a major activation in Plaza del Callao, live broadcasts and advertising on the outdoor screens of Cines Callao, and a full programme of experiences inside the building, which is celebrating its centenary this year.

For seven days, Madrid’s iconic square and the Cines Callao building were transformed into the hub of the Atlassian Williams F1 Team universe. The opening ceremony, attended by the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, featured Carlos Sainz, ambassador for the Madrid circuit and driver for the team, who unveiled a full-scale prototype of the FW48 single-seater in the heart of the square in front of thousands of spectators. Over the following days, the event was also attended by James Vowles, the team principal, and Luke Browning, reserve driver for the Atlassian Williams F1 Team, who interacted with the team’s fans at separate events in the square, answering their questions and signing autographs.

As part of the campaign, the outdoor screens at Callao City Lights broadcast live highlights of the action in the square and also displayed advertising for the Atlassian Williams F1 Team throughout the week, transforming the area into a huge urban showcase and enhancing the experience for the thousands of pedestrians who pass through Callao every day.

An immersive experience

The event also took place in Screen 1 at Cines Callao, where Formula 1 fans were able to test their driving skills on MadRing circuit simulators, take part in interactive games and prediction quizzes, and buy all sorts of merchandise.

In addition, the terrace at Cines Callao hosted an exhibition featuring some of the Atlassian Williams F1 Team’s most iconic trophies and the helmets of Carlos Sainz, Marc Gené and Pastor Maldonado. Guests were able to enjoy catering on the spot, as well as stunning views of Plaza del Callao, Gran Vía and the iconic Schweppes neon sign. This venue also served as the setting for the well-attended press conference given by Carlos Sainz.

With this initiative, Callao City Lights has once again established itself as one of Madrid’s leading venues for major brand activations, combining DOOH advertising and experiential elements in a single location to maximise impact and engagement with the public.

The Formula 1 Grand Prix in Madrid is warming up in the city centre. The Williams team has chosen Callao City Lights to bring all the excitement of the race to the public. Thousands of fans gathered last Tuesday in Plaza del Callao to welcome Carlos Sainz, Williams driver and ambassador for the Madrid circuit, who opened the team’s fan zone, set up in Callao, by unveiling a full-scale prototype of the FW48 single-seater.

As part of the campaign, the outdoor screens at Callao City Lights broadcast live highlights of the action taking place in the square, extending the experience to the thousands of pedestrians passing through Callao.

A 360° campaign combining a major event in Callao Square, live broadcasts and advertising on the large-format screens at Cines Callao, alongside a full programme of experiences inside the building, which is celebrating its centenary this year.

A cinema afternoon in the centre of Madrid! To mark our centenary, on 22 July we transformed the Plaza del Callao into a spectacular open-air cinema, where attendees were able to watch one of cinema’s greatest hits – *Back to the Future* – on the main outdoor screen at Cines Callao. This free event, with limited capacity, was organised to thank the people of Madrid for their warm support over the years; and Telemadrid covered it extensively on its programme ‘Madrid Directo’.

To mark our centenary, the ‘Madrid Directo’ team, accompanied by Fran López-Gallego, director of Cines Callao, took a tour of some of the most iconic corners of this century-old building, uncovering the history, interesting facts and legacy of one of Madrid’s great cinema landmarks.

Last Thursday, 2 July, Cines Callao once again brought one of Madrid’s most recognisable corners to life with ¡Ay, Callao!, an exclusive invitation-only celebration that transformed its main auditorium into a contemporary cabaret. In the midst of Pride Week and as part of its centenary programme, the cinema demonstrated that its hundred years of history are not merely a matter of memory, but are also very much part of the present: with spectacle, freedom and a clear determination to continue surprising audiences.

The evening took as its starting point the provocative aesthetic of ‘Destape’ cinema—one of the great cultural phenomena of the Transition—reinterpreting it through a contemporary and festive lens. The result was a blend of cabaret, burlesque, humour, dance and live music that linked the history of popular Spanish cinema with the pulse of Madrid’s queer culture. More than a nostalgic evocation, ¡Ay, Callao! served as a celebration of freedom, diversity and spectacle, understood as a space for coming together.

Throughout the evening, the spirit of the ‘Destape’ and the contemporary queer scene interacted on stage with a shared energy: that of breaking the mould, celebrating difference and championing popular culture as a space where excess, emotion and freedom of expression have their place.

A venue transformed into a cabaret

The evening was hosted by Supremme de Luxe, an undisputed legend of Spanish drag and a central figure in our country’s LGBTIQ+ culture, who acted as master of ceremonies on a night where humour, music and audacity set the tone from the very start.

Also taking to the stage were Miss Loot, a burlesque artist and content creator; Santa Catalina, with a performance inspired by the glamour of classic cinema; and Alpilpil, the duo formed by Adrián Melero and Lucas Pulido, who brought their characteristic generational humour to a night designed to blend styles, eras and audiences.

The artistic and choreographic direction was handled by Alex G. Robles, a professional choreographer with over twenty years’ experience in theatre, dance and large-scale shows such as *Vuelve el Cabaret* and *La Dama de los Espejos*.

When Plaza de Callao also took centre stage

Before the indoor show began, the celebrations had already taken to the streets. From 7.30 pm to 8.30 pm, Pupi Poisson performed on the outdoor stage at Cines Callao, bringing the spirit of cabaret and Pride to Plaza del Callao and turning the entrance to the cinema into an initial open invitation to the people of Madrid and visitors alike.

The outdoor screens at Cines Callao complemented this opening up to the public space with a visual display inspired by the imagery of ‘El Destape’, projecting the event’s aesthetic onto one of the city’s busiest spots.

A photocall to kick off the evening

The photocall brought together big names such as Moises Nieto, Adrián Chico, Milo Quiles, Abel Arana, Bárbara Santa Cruz, Pino Montes de Oca, Sebastián Gallego and Ernesto Naranjo, as well as some of the rising stars of Spanish cinema, including Ana Garcés, Tomy Aguilera and Victoria Kantch – the trio starring in the new Netflix series *Oasis*. They all gathered to celebrate the centenary of cinema and Pride. Accompanied by burlesque dancers and backing singers, the guests’ arrival turned the entrance to Cines Callao into the first highlight of the evening.

From the show to the after-party

Inside the venue, the event took place in two parts, separated by an interval featuring light refreshments and an open bar. After the show, the celebrations continued with an after-party and a DJ set that kept the energy going well past midnight.

Glitter, fans and divas

The ‘Glitter & Divas’ dress code was on display throughout the evening in the form of glitter, feathers, sheer fabrics and extravagance. As a nod to popular Spanish culture, each guest also received a fan accompanied by a guide to its traditional language – a touch that made this icon part of the evening’s theatrical and social interplay.

A centenary looking to the present

‘Ay, Callao!’ was not just another event on the Cines Callao centenary calendar (1926–2026), but a way of updating its own narrative. For one night, the building ceased to be merely an icon of the Gran Vía and became an expanded stage: the auditorium, façade and square functioned as a single space for gathering, celebration and popular culture.

That gesture perhaps offered the most contemporary interpretation of the anniversary: celebrating a hundred years not as an ode to the past, but as an excuse to ask what might continue to happen within (and around) a place as iconic as this. At ¡Ay, Callao!, the answer came in the form of music, humour, performers on stage and a square watching in awe, reminding us that the history of a cinema is also written every time it reconnects with its audience.

Exclusive invitation-only event. Limited capacity.

Gala evening at Cines Callao. Vocento chose our venue to host the first edition of the MUJERHOY Futura Unlocked Awards, a tribute to young female talent who overcome obstacles to become role models.

Sandra Ortonobes, in the Innovation category; María Muñoz de Fernando, in Trends and Design; Patricia Fernández, in Culture; Begoña Vargas, in Audiovisual; Sofía Hamela, in Content Creation; Marta Cardona, in Sport; and Valeria Castro, in Music, were the seven women honoured at this inaugural edition of the awards.

Before the awards ceremony, celebrities and influencers posed at the photocall set up in the foyer of Cines Callao. Meanwhile, the rest of the guests were able to enjoy a welcome drink in our Screen 1, where a large circular bar had been set up in the centre of the space, along with a stand where guests could collect an embroidered scarf.

Later, the gala, hosted by journalist and writer Loreto Sesma, kicked off with a performance by Dora Postigo and was opened by Charo Marcos, editor-in-chief of Mujer Hoy. Following the awards ceremony, guests and award winners enjoyed a cocktail reception and performances by Valeria Castro, Inazio and a DJ set by Julia Centero.

As well as the traditional cocktail reception, guests were able to sample mini pizzas and hot dogs, which a mysterious hand handed out through a hatch after a bell was rung.

There was great excitement in Madrid’s Plaza del Callao as people gathered for a unique experience in the world of beauty and hairdressing. COLOR WOW, the iconic American haircare brand owned by the L’Oréal Group, chose the Callao City Lights venue to host the first masterclass in Spain led by its creative director, Chris Appleton, the renowned stylist to celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, Jennifer López, Christina Aguilera and Nicole Kidman. Around 300 professionals from the hairdressing industry attended this event, organised by Somos Experiences as part of the haircare brand’s first pop-up in Spain.

A 360 event which also featured a display – organised in collaboration with Publicis and following a countdown – of images of the brand’s flagship products on the exterior screens of the Cines Callao cinema complex in Madrid, as well as an exclusive cocktail reception on its terrace, El Cielo de Callao, to round off the event.

A top-class masterclass right in the heart of Madrid

For a few hours, the iconic Sala 1 at Cines Callao was transformed into a sophisticated beauty salon, where the renowned Hollywood celebrity stylist shared some of his most special hair styling techniques and tips with attendees, using Color WOW’s most popular product range, such as the Dream Coat anti-frizz spray, the Xtra Large Bombshell Volumizer for an instant lift, and the Pop & Lock High Gloss Finish serum for a wet-look finish.

An immersive experience and content for social media

The event also featured a second session in which María Roberts, Color WOW’s ambassador in Ibiza, recorded a TikTok video demonstrating the results of applying Color WOW’s Money Mist leave-in conditioner to her hair. Guests were also able to pose at a unique photocall, try out the brand’s products on the spot, capture moments in a photo booth and create dynamic content on a platform equipped with a 360° glam cam.