| MAY |
| Date |
Event |
Up
until the 3rd |
Barcelos
(North of Portugal) Festa das Cruzes (Festival of the Crosses) - This
event is considered the
most significant festival
in Barcelos. It commemorates
the “Miracle of
the Crosses”. In
I504, a farmer who had
decided to work on the
Day of the Holy Cross,
saw a luminous and fragrant
cross appear on the earth
on which he was digging
and he could not make
it disappear. On every
3rd of May there is the
Procession of the Holy
Cross. The program also
includes a spectacular
display of fireworks with
music. |
April
29 – May 8 |
Lisboa
Lisbon World Golf Amateur 2004 - The event is sure
to grow yearly into one
of the biggest of its
kind in Europe. The Lisbon
Classic, a 72-hole stroke
play tournament, will
give players the chance
to enjoy four of the finest
courses in the region
of Lisboa. |
|
Espinho
(North of Portugal) - Salão Internacional de Humor(International
Comedy Showcase) |
|
Espinho
(North of Portugal)
The World Fencing Cup |
|
Porto “Fazer a Festa” – International
Festival of Theater for
Children & Youth |
|
Santo
Tirso (North of Portugal) -
Festival Internacional
de Guitarra (International
Guitar Festival) |
|
Alenquer
( Lisboa region) Feira da Ascensão – traditional fair |
|
Azambuja
(Lisboa region)
Feira de Maio (May Fair)Bullfights at the “Largada
de Touros” |
|
Cartaxo
(Lisboa region) Festa do Vinho (Wine Festival) |
|
Chamusca
(Lisboa region) Festa da Ascensão – local festival |
|
Coruche
(Lisboa region)-
Jornadas de GastronomiaSemana
Taurina – gastronomy
& bullfighting events |
|
|
Leiria (Lisboa region) Feira de May (May Fair) |
|
Óbidos (Lisboa region) Temporada
de Música antiga
- This annual festival
of ancient music is held
in Leiria and the surrounding
area offering a great
musical experience. |
|
|
Alandroal (Alentejo region) Semana do Guadiana(Guadiana Week) |
|
|
Almodôvar (Alentejo region) FACAL – The arts
& culture fair of
Almodôvar |
|
|
Vila Viçosa (Alentejo region) Peregrinação
ao Santuário de
Nossa Senhora da Conceição
(Pilgrimage) |
|
|
Various Locations – Algarve region Festival
Internacional de Cinema
do Algarve(Algarve Film
Fest) www.algarvefilmfest.com |
|
|
Various Locations – Algarve region Festival Internacional de Música do Algarve
(International Music Festival
in the Algarve) |
|
|
Portimão (Algarve region) Campeonato
do Mundo em Motonáutica
F1 (World Championship
of F1 Speedboat Racing) |
|
|
Tavira (Algarve region) Rali Automóveis antigos a Pedras d’El
Rei (Classic Car Rally)
- This rally, in which
countless classic cars
participate, has developed
over the past century
and has become recognized
for its originality and
for its international
participants. In this
rally, the drivers actually
enjoy the scenic countryside
and monuments of the towns
along their route. |
Beginning
of the month |
Coimbra
(Beiras region) Queima das Fitas -The “Queima das Fitas”
of Coimbra celebrates
the end of the school
year at one of the oldest
European universities
and it is the largest
student happening in Portugal.
Academic pageants and
other festivities are
planned, such as the “Serenata
(serenade) no Largo da
Sé Velha”
and the “Garraiada
(bullock-fight) na Praça
de Touros”. |
| First
week |
Tomar (Lisboa region) Soup Festival - This is an important national gastronomy
event. The organizing
committee offers a bowl
and a cup, and thousands
of litres of soup are
served. |
| Every
Wednesday May - October |
Queluz (Lisboa region) Equestrian
Shows at the Queluz National
Palace - At 11am., the
Portuguese Equestrian
Riding School presents
quite a show at the Queluz
National Palace. |
Saturdays
through May & June |
Nazaré (Lisboa region) Arte
Xávega na Nazaré
(Ancient Fishing Art) -
This is a recreation of
the old way of fishing in
the 30’s at Praia
da Nazaré. The captain
of the boat starts by calling
for the crew of a typical
rowing boat; nets are cast
out into the sea and later
they are hauled in. The
fish are sold on the beach.
|
| All
along the month |
Viana do Castelo (North of Portugal) Festeixo – the Festival of the Eixo Atlântico
Theater |
1 |
Island of Terceira (Azores) Início das Touradas à Corda(Beginning
of the Bullfighting Season) |
1
- 9 |
Funchal (Madeira) World Championship Triathlon |
3 |
Monsanto (Beiras region) Festas de Nossa Senhora do Castelo ou das Cruzes
(Festival of Our Lady of
the Castle or of the Crosses)
- This festival commemorates
the legendary medieval siege
of the castle. The starving
villagers fattened a calf
with the last of their wheat
and threw it over the castle
walls, as if they had plenty
of food to spare. This so
disheartened the attackers
that the siege was abandoned.
For this reason, during
the Festival of the Crosses
in May, the women climb
up to the castle accompanied
to the sound of “adufes”
(traditional hand-held drums)
and they throw pots decorated
with flowers, symbolizing
the calf, over the castle
walls. Older women sing
and dance with “marafonas”,
which are the haracteristic
cloth dolls of these festivities. |
3
- 5 |
Lamego (North of Portugal) Festa do Cavalo (Horse Festival) - Includes a jumping
competition and horse-races |
6,
8, 10, 12, & 14 |
Lisboa The São Carlos National Theatre presents Il
Turco in Italia by Gioachino
Rossini. www.saocarlos.pt
|
6
- 9 |
Vila Franca de Xira (Lisboa region) XVI Horse Festival - Public and experts gather in
the Cevadeiro Pavilion for
this riding event that pays
tribute to the horse. This
event cannot be missed by
anyone who appreciates the
equestrian arts. There will
also be exhibitions, musical
performances, and various
food booths. |
8
- 10 |
Vila Franca do Lima (North of Portugal ) Festa das Rosas (Rose Festival) |
10
- 16 |
Viana do Castelo (North of Portugal) Encontros de Viana (cinema & video event) |
12
& 13 |
Fátima (Lisboa region) Peregrinação a Fátima - 60 miles
north of Lisbon, the Fátima
Sanctuary is a pilgrimage
site for millions of Catholics
from around the world and
a place of devotion for
most Portuguese people.
This sanctuary is one of
the most important Marian
sites, on the level of Lourdes
in France and Chestochowa
in Poland. The 12th and
13th are the most important
days, when devotees and
pilgrims from around the
world congregate at the
sanctuary to mark the anniversary
of the first apparition
of the Virgin Mary in 1917.
www.rt-leiriafatima.pt
Location: Santuary of Fátima |
13 |
Viana do Castelo (North of Portugal) Tapetes floridos - Streets will be carpeted in various
designs with a large array
of flowers. |
14
- 21 |
Island of São Miguel (Azores ) Festas do Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres –
religious festival |
15
- 17 |
Alvarães (Viana do Castelo) Festa dos Andores Floridos – local festival |
23 |
Island of Faial (Azores) Festas de N. Senhora das Angústias –
religious festival |
May
29 - June 6 |
Lisboa Rock in Rio Lisboa “For a Better World”During
5 days the city of Lisboa
will come alive with Rock.
There will be 3 stages,
70 bands & artists from
Portugal and Brazil, as
well as fashion shows, radical
sports, restaurants and
shops. Top international
rock bands will brighten
up your spirit daily in
Parque da Bela Vista. The
festival expects 120,000
visitors per day! www.rockinrio-lisboa.sapo.pt
|
27
- 30 |
Ponte da Barca (North of Portugal) Feira Mostra de Produtos Locais(Local Products Showcase
Fair) |
29
- 31 |
Lisboa ExpoGolf – The 1st Edition of this fair for
golf lovers at the “Parque
de Nações”
www.fil.pt |
30 |
On all the islands - Azores Domingo do Espírito Santo (Pentecost) |
May
- June |
Porto FITEI – International Festival of Iberian Expression
in Theater |
May
- June |
Porto Feira do Livro (Book Fair) |
April
& May |
Leiria, Marinha Grande e Pombal (Lisboa region) Festival de Teatro da Alta Estremadura – theater
festival |
May
- June |
Lisboa Feira do Livro (Book Fair) - Lisbon’s Book
Fair is the biggest event
of its kind in Portugal
and one of the great cultural
occasions in the life of
the city. The fair takes
place in the open air in
Eduardo VII Park at the
top end of Avenida da Liberdade.
Most of the country’s
leading publishers are represented
and the vast offering includes
foreign books as well as
national publications. For
more information - Tel:
213527609/ 213570934. |
|
May
- July |
Leiria (Lisboa region) Temporada de Música antiga This annual festival
of ancient music is held
in Leiria and the surrounding
area offering a great musical
experience. |
