Festivals and Annual Events

There is much festivity in this celebration before Lent. The district of Loule has the best parades while Lisbon, Nazare, Ovar and Viana do Castelo all throw spectacular parties.

A four day fashion week, where Portuguese designers show off their latest collections on the catwalk.

If you love classical music you cannot miss this three day event where world renowned orchestras perform at the Centro de Belem.

A ten day filmathon, that presents independent movies, documentaries and short films to the city’s screens.

A solid fortnight of innovative theatre that claims to be the cutting edge in theatrical performance.

The wackiest race you may ever see, this event is held in the district of Alfama. Competitors race across the cobblestone streets, negotiate hairpin bends and perform gravity defying jumps, all to get downhill to win the crown.

The city’s biggest and loudest biannual music festival, Rock in Rio takes over Parque da Bela Vista with previous acts including Metallica, Bon Jovi and Lenny Kravitz. The Cidade do Rock spins wild electronica.

A festival that is dedicated to the musical genre of fado: music traditionally characterised by the mournful tunes and lyrics lamenting the life of the poor or the nature of the sea (however the music can be about anything but must form a certain structure to be classed as fado). Fadistas perform in the illuminated Castelo de Sao Jorge but you can watch free fado performances on trams every Thursday and Sunday of this month.

One of the city’s festivals of the country’s annual Festas dos Santos Populares, this festival heralds lots of feasting, drinking and some arraiais (street parties) which can number up to 50! Given his reputation as a matchmaker, St Anthony also inspires Lisbotas to declare their love by giving manjericos (basil plants) along with poems – if you’re feeling particularly amorous, you can be part of the 300 or more couples that can get married for free!

Another of the city’s festivals for the Festas dos Santos Populares, this event, with numerous river processions, is a huge celebration of all things seafood (St Peter being the patron saint of fishermen).

A summertime event in Baixa that hosts free circus acts, live music, improvised theatre and mime on the weekends.

An environmentally sustainable festival in Alto Ajuda, hosting three days worth of live music ranging from reggae to fado.

Rocking the city in mid July, this head banging and beer drinking music festival stages acts such as ZZ Top to Iron Maiden, in Parque das Nacoes.

Lisbon celebrates its seafaring heritage in this two week festival with swashbuckling parades, world music, regattas and riverside fireworks. Website: www.festivaldosoceanos.com

A jazz event at the Fundacao Calouste Gulbenkian that welcomes classic and new musicians to the stage.

Parque das Nacoes transforms into a huge fair with over sixty Portuguese and international galleries of contemporary art.

Celebrating the day of St Martin, Lisboetas gather to eat chestnuts and drink agua-pe (young wine).

A pre-Christmas run from Praca do Comercio to Belem heralds the start of the city’s festive season.

Fireworks, free concerts and DJs all converge down by the river to ring in ano novo (New Year).