The Algarve wastes no time in filling up each year with
annual events and festivals. No matter what time of year that you travel to
Algarve you will find something to do and see no matter what region you happen
to find yourself. The Portuguese love to celebrate and enjoy life, and not a
week will go by where some type of celebration or festival can't be found.
A great many of the festivals in Algarve have a religious
base behind them and are often accompanied with plenty of music, dancing, and
parades. Many of the smaller towns in Algarve celebrate their own festivals,
none of which will be announced anywhere at all for you to find, so think of
the delight you will feel when you stumble across some celebration or another
in one of the small villages.
You will often find that there is a lot of dancing, in
particular folk dancing, which takes place at the festivals in Algarve. You
may find yourself swept up in the spinning jig of the corridinho, which is one
of the common dances of Algarve.
Loulé Carnival
Location: town of Loulé
Time: February, annual each year
Hours: all hours of the day and night
If you are in Algarve during February you will want to
make a special visit to the town of Loulé. During the time of carnival
you will find the people of Loulé celebrate endlessly, with parties and
parades along the main street of Avenida José da Costa Mealha. The people
of this town bring out their fancy dress and these days celebrate with the theme
of "Peace, Love, and Affection" or "Paz, Amor e Carinho".
Easter Festival
Location: town of São Bras de Alporte
Time: March, Easter Sunday, annual each year
Hours: all day long
Every year on Easter Sunday the town of São Bras
de Alporte holds its Easter celebration. If you happen to be in this town on
Easter Sunday you will find the men of the town running through the streets
holding bright, flower decorated torches. As they arrive at the beautiful parish
Church the flowers are laid down on the Church floor for the priest to walk
across.
Holy Week
Location: various locations around Algarve
Time: April, annual each year
During the Holy Week there are many religious celebrations
throughout Algarve and in many towns and villages you will be able to find re-enacted
scenes from the Passion and the Crucifixion of Jesus Christ.
May Day Folk Festival
Location: towns of Alcoutim, Albufeira, Alte, and Monchique
Time: May, annual each year
Enjoy folk dancing and singing, while eating and drinking
the food of the region, as these small towns celebrate during the May Festival.
Handicraft Festival
Location: town of Alcoutim
Time: July ( the 2nd or 3rd week of the month), annual
each year
You will be able to enjoy the fine crafts of the region
Moorish Nights
Location: village of Cacela Velha
Time: July, annual each year
Each July the delightful village of Cacela Velha, which
is located 10km from the border of Spain, has what is called their Moorish Nights.
During this time the people of the village recreate the presence of the Arabs
who dominated the area in the 10th to 13th centuries. You will find the atmosphere
interesting and eventful as you spend hours wandering through the village. You
will be able to enjoy fine Moorish cuisine in restaurants that serve traditional
Arab food, such as harina soup, or a chicken and almond baked pastry that is
called pastilha de frango com amêndoas. Take your time walking around
and take in the music, dancing, and traditional Arab costumes. Don't forget
to end your visit with a taste of the traditional green tea.
Festival do Marisco
Location: town of Olhão
Time: August, annual each year
The fishing town of Olhão has a tasty seafood festival
each year, where you can wander through the stalls of fresh fish dishes and
stop to eat with a view of the sea. You will be kept busy and entertained by
the local folk dancing, as well as by local singers who sing songs of the sea.
You will be able to taste many of the regional dishes while you take in the
atmosphere of this beautiful town.
Other Events and Festivals
July:
· Beer Festival in the town of Silves
· Feira do Carmo, handicraft festival in the city of Faro
August:
· Fatacil, a county fair in the town of Fatacil
· Summer in Tavira, dancing and music in the town of Tavira
· Fish Festival, August 11, in the town of Cabanas
· Banho de 29, August 29, celebrate the end of the holiday season in
the town of Lagos
September:
· National Folklore Festival, various locations
of Algarve
· Lagoa Wine Festival, wine tasting in the town of Lagoa
· Nossa Senhora das Dores, county fair that starts in Monte Gordo and
ends in Tavira
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