The Porta Ferrada Festival was founded in 1958 in Sant Feliu de Guíxols, at a time when the town was looking to go beyond sun-and-beach tourism and strengthen its connection to culture. In its early years, it was promoted directly by the City Council.

In 1983, the festival entered a new phase under the direction of the Joventuts Musicals association, focusing mainly on classical music and held in the monastery setting, home to the iconic Porta Ferrada that gives the festival its name.

A turning point came with its 24th edition, when Albert Mallol joined as artistic director. From then on, the festival opened its program to new genres such as jazz, rock, and dance, broadening its scope and attracting national and international artists such as Joe Cocker, Pau Riba, Manolo García, Vargas Blues Band, and Jordi Savall.

As the festival grew, its management and venues also evolved. Starting with the 35th edition, it came to be managed by the City Council together with Albert Mallol and moved to Plaça Abadia, allowing it to expand its capacity and host major productions and artists such as Pat Metheny, Chucho and Bebo Valdés, Joan Manuel Serrat, John Cale, and Barbara Hendricks.

In 2003, the festival inaugurated Espai Port, by the sea, which became its main stage and one of its most iconic venues, welcoming major artists such as Cyndi Lauper, The Pretenders, Patti Smith, Sara Baras, Ludovico Einaudi, Kris Kristofferson, Bryan Ferry, Paolo Conte, and the Munich Opera Ballet.

Later on, new venues were added, such as Guíxols Arena, where artists including Ricky Martin, Two Door Cinema Club, Wilco, New Order, Zucchero, Jarabe de Palo, Joan Baez, UB40, and Crystal Fighters have performed, among many others.

From 2012 to the present day, the Porta Ferrada Festival has operated as a public-private partnership. It is organized and sponsored by the City Council, with Albert Mallol as artistic director, and financed through a management company. In recent years this has been The Project, and now, in this new phase, Barcelona Events Musicals.

Today, it is the oldest festival in Catalonia and brings together tens of thousands of spectators every summer, preserving its essence while continuing to grow.