PJ Fest - Premios Joventud Marbella - 3rd September 2026
Contemporary music and dance festivals in Andalucia
The Premios Juventud awards ceremony, a gala produced by Televisa Univision and broadcast in the United States and Latin America (not Europe), will be held at the Starlite Festival site in Marbella on 3rd September 2026. All previous editions have taken place in the USA, with the exception of last year's ceremony in Panama City, where Bad Bunny won three of the 41 awards. It is certainly a coup for Starlite and hence Marbella to be the 2026 location. This event will be re-branded as PJ Fest.
By Diana Sierra
The Premios Juventud are awards presented by the American television network Univision. Unlike more traditional award ceremonies, these accolades are designed to celebrate entertainment, pop culture, and the latest trends. Nominees and winners are not selected by a panel of critics or industry experts, but entirely by the public, who vote online for their favourite artists, actors, influencers, and athletes.
For the first time, the main ceremony will cross the Atlantic to be staged in Europe, specifically in Marbella, on 3 September 2026. The broadcast of the Marbella ceremony has been designed to reach audiences on both sides of the Atlantic. Rather than focusing on a single region, the event will be aired simultaneously for its traditional audience across the Americas as well as for a growing European viewership.
The distribution strategy has been organised as follows:
• For the United States and Latin America: as a TelevisaUnivision production, the main broadcast will continue through its established television networks in the United States and across Hispanic America, including Univision, UNIMÁS, and Galavisión, alongside its global streaming platform ViX.
• For Europe, particularly Spain, for this landmark edition, Atresmedia has joined the distribution of the event, ensuring that the ceremony will also be available to a broad mainstream audience across Europe.
HISTORY
The awards were launched on 23 September 2004 in response to a gap in the market: to create a pop culture awards ceremony specifically designed for Hispanic audiences in the United States and Latin America, a demographic that did not feel fully represented by more traditional and formal award shows.
The first edition took place at the BankUnited Center at the University of Miami. Artists such as Daddy Yankee, Shakira, and Juanes were among the first stars to set the tone for the event.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Premios Juventud became the first major televised awards ceremony to be staged entirely live. The traditional red carpet was replaced by the “PJ Takeover”, while strict health and safety protocols were introduced to allow artists such as J Balvin, Karol G, and Bad Bunny to perform on stage.
After almost two decades of being held exclusively in Miami, the awards began to break new ground. In 2022, they moved to Puerto Rico for the first time and have since continued expanding beyond US territory, further consolidating the international reach of the event.
In 2025, the ceremony was held in Panama City. That year marked a major milestone for TelevisaUnivision, as it was the first time in the history of the awards that the event had been staged outside the United States or Puerto Rico, in another country.
Bad Bunny was the most awarded artist of the Panama edition, taking home three major honours in the urban music categories: Best Urban Album, Best Urban Track, and Best Urban Collaboration.
In May 2026, Premios Juventud was officially rebranded as PJ Fest with the launch of the awards’ 23rd edition. Far from being a simple name change, the rebrand represents a major evolution in the format of the event. What was once exclusively a one-night awards ceremony has now been transformed into a week-long immersive cultural and musical experience.
Although almost all nominees perform in Spanish or Portuguese, the production regularly invites English-speaking and global mainstream artists looking to connect with the Hispanic market. This is reflected through:
- International collaborations: It is very common to see world-renowned DJs and producers, such as Steve Aoki, performing live duets on stage alongside urban music artists.
- Artists from other continents: K-pop has also made its presence felt at the awards. Over the years, Korean groups such as Momoland have attended and performed at the ceremony, demonstrating that the awards are now on the radar of music industries around the world.
ORIGINAL CATEGORIES
PJ has become known for its original categories, many of which are shaped by social media culture. Some examples include:
• Agent of Change: an award honouring artists who use their fame to support charitable or social causes.
• My Favourite Actor/Actress
• Best Fandom: recognising the most active fan community.
• Want More: awarded to the influencer or artist with the strongest social media following and engagement.
The public votes in every category except for Agent of Change. Recipients of this distinction are selected directly by the organisers and a specialised panel in order to ensure that the recognition is based on the genuine impact of their charitable and community initiatives.
THINGS TO DO
Close to the venue lies Nagüeles Beach, known for its golden sand and calm waters. The beach is home to a wooden jetty stretching out into the sea, offering views of La Concha mountain in the background.
In addition, the area is home to the famous Marbella Club Hotel and the Puente Romano Beach Resort. Even if you’re not staying there, visitors can enjoy their beach clubs and beach bars, or dine in their squares, which are brimming with fine-dining restaurants.
More Things to See and Do in Marbella
Contemporary music and dance festivals in Andalucia
Location
The awards ceremony will take place at the auditorium of Marbella Starlite Occident, located in the La Cantera de Nagüeles venue.
Calle Istán. Auditorio de Marbella La Cantera. 29600. Marbella. Málaga