Festivities and Traditions
The Feiras Novas (Popular Feast) of Ponte de Lima elevate culture through folklore, concertina tocatas, concerts of music bands, cattle competitions and expressive processions, Ethnographic, Historical and the imposing procession in honour of Our Lady of Sorrows.
Considered as "the largest live congress of culture in Portugal", the Feiras Novas date back to 1826 and are already a national reference, attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors.
João Martins Matos Fernandes, Minister of the Environment, accompanied by the Secretary of State for the Environment, Carlos Martins, will be the guests of honour that will attend the ethnographic procession, and the parade of the civil parishes that make up the county with traditions and ancestral customs of the local people.
The ethnographic parade is held on Saturday, at 16h, and is an expression of what is most genuine in the county.
The Night and Day Pilgrimage solemnly opens this Wednesday, September 5, at 10:00 p.m. with a light, music, water and pyrotechnic show dedicated to the Lima River. According to the Festival’s Committee, and due to security reasons, during the show nobody is allowed on the Medieval Bridge. The show can be enjoyed by the waterfront, Camões’ Square, following the official opening of the light display.
On Thursday, October 6, the presentation of the book "Chickens of Portugal" will take place. On Saturday, there will be the 1st contest of native bred chickens in Ponte de Lima at Expolima.
The night of Thursday is dedicated to philharmonic music, with the performance of the Music Band of Estorãos.
Fado will invade the stunning Lapa Square on Friday night, starting at 8:30 pm, with the Fado of Coimbra, performed by an excellent group that will delight the lovers of this genre, with the Fado Group in the Centre.
A concert of Tunas (musical band made up of university students and alumni) is followed at 10:30 pm. This is another fixed poster of the Feiras Novas, with the irreverent sound of youth, with the participation of the Engineering Tuna of the University of Minho; Tuna of University of Minho; Tun'Obebes - Female Engineering Tuna of Minho; Tun'ao Minho - Female Academic Tuna of the University of Minho; Hinoportuna – Academic Tuna of the Polytechnic Institute of Viana do Castelo.
In the Camões Square, from 10 pm onwards, the philharmonic concerts will continue, with the local band of the People of Moreira do Lima and the Band of Rio Mau - Penafiel.
At the Expolima grounds Zé Cachadinha and her friends will celebrate with the typical song challenges.
Saturday morning marks another of the great moments of the Feiras Novas, where the vanity of the breeders is justified by the beautiful specimens they present in the traditional Livestock Contest at the large arena in Expolima at 08:30, ending with the parade of the participants in the S. João Avenue, at midday.
The rumbling of Zés Pereiras (drums) and Gaiteiros (bagpipes) beats to the rhythm of the celebrations; they are the calling to the Feiras Novas, enlivening the streets during the days of celebration and promoting the attractions with strong contests and will meet in the Camões Square midday.
The customs of the local people have their maximum representative in the Ethnographic Parade, which runs along the main streets and avenues of the village, starting at 4:00 p.m. In the afternoon there will be Garranos (horses) races at Expolima.
Saturday night is the most genuine night of popular culture, with hundreds of concertinas invading the Village, with song contests, full of malicious lyrics and surprising comebacks by the musicians.
Sunday, the 9th, maintains the tradition with the philharmonic concerts in Camões’ Square and the concentration of Zés Pereiras (drums) and Gigantones (giant paper mache figures) at midday.
The historic procession at 3:30 p.m. is endowed with a fascinating history, a culture rich in customs and is subordinated to the theme "Ponte de Lima: Fragments of the History of a Village"
The Folklore Festival on Sunday night features two stages, in Expolima and in Lapa Square. The festival will have the participation of the folklore groups of the county that sing and dance until the launching of the fireworks.
On Monday, a day dedicated to the religious celebrations in honour of Our Lady of Sorrows, the majestic procession runs through the main streets of the Historical Centre starting at 4:30 p.m. The music bands bid farewell to the Feiras Novas in a concert in Camões Square at 7:00 p.m.
The Feiras Novas will end on Monday evening with the popular verbena 23h in Camões’ Sqaure, with the performances of REAL COMBO LISBONENSE.
Full of activity and endless entertainment, enjoy the mint traditions that touch everyone during the Night and Day Pilgrimage.
