More than 40 events featuring a range of art forms and 16 street festivities will bring the city to life in June at this year’s Festas de Lisboa, organised by the Câmara Municipal de Lisboa and EGEAC.
The high point of the programme will be on 12 June, when Saint Anthony’s Weddings will be celebrated at Lisbon Cathedral and in the Salão Nobre of the Paços do Concelho and more than two thousand people will parade down the Avenida da Liberdade, as part of the Marchas Populares.
Two free special concerts at two of the city’s most iconic riverside locations will open and then bring the Festas de Lisboa to a close.
Canções de uma noite de verão will dictate the rhythm at the opening concert at Terreiro do Paço, from 10pm on 1 June. The show will bring new life to Portuguese pop-rock hits with vocalists Ana Bacalhau, António Zambujo, Áurea, Conan Osiris and Marta Ren. The performers will be accompanied by the Orquestra Pop Portuguesa, conducted by Jan Wierzba, with overall artistic direction provided by Luis Varatojo.
Miguel Araújo – Dança de um dia de verão will bring together the musician, his band and some of his greatest hits, alongside special guests Bárbara Tinoco, Os Quatro e Meia and Tatanka. Come along for a dance and a sing at the Torre de Belém garden on 30 June, from 10pm.
The day before (29 June), classical music will take over the same garden, with the Concerto Sinfónico de Verão, which will bring together one hundred voices from the Summer Festival Choir and the Sinfonietta de Lisboa (conducted by Paulo Lourenço and Cesário Costa), with several guest soloists.
Inspired by Parque Mayer, the theme of the Grande Marcha, the Marchas Populares will show off their costumes and choreography for the first time in the ever-popular pavilion exhibitions (2, 3 and 4 June at Altice Arena), followed by the big parade down the Avenida da Liberdade on the night of Saint Anthony’s Day (12 June)
Fado no Castelo brings us two intriguing nights with a unique view over the city and river. From 9.30 pm, against the magnificent backdrop of the Castelo de São Jorge’s place-of-arms, there will be new, unexpected artistic encounters on stage, this time featuring Sara Correia and Stereossauro (16 June) and Katia Guerreiro and rapper Jaca (17 June).
Festas de Lisboa will also include many more unmissable events across the cultural spaces run by EGEAC, such as the celebration of the 5th anniversary of LU.CA and the 135th anniversary of the birth of Fernando Pessoa or the musical 100 Amália at Teatro São Luiz.
Film, literature, theatre and other artistic projects will take place in various locations around the city, most of which are free of charge. Other events and festivities include gastronomy, popular culture, dance, painting, photography, DJ sets, and family activities.
June is when Festas de Lisboa connect people at a collective and multicultural celebration. It’s almost time for the city to get dressed up to celebrate its traditions and show itself for what it is: authentic, cosmopolitan and belonging to the people.
Enjoy Festas de Lisboa!
