Portugal Events and Festivals

6/01/2009 - 6/30/2009Lisbon Festivities

This popular event is a three-week extravaganza with street parties celebrating the city's patron, St Anthony. Called 'Lisboa em Festas', this is a lively time of year to visit Lisbon and to gain an insight into Portuguese culture. Fado is a traditional Portuguese singing style that's full of lament and emotion, and Fado concerts are staged during the festival. There is also a book fair, theatre, mime and other music concerts. But most of the action takes place on the street, with stilt walkers, costumed street entertainers and the mass parades of the 'Marchas Populares'. Phalanxes from different neighbourhoods unite to march down the broad Avenida da Liberdade, with many marchers in costume and waving banners. Festivities continue late into the night with singing, dancing and copious amounts of grilled sardines - a popular regional speciality.