Lisbon Events and Festivals
(Lisbon, Portugal)
Many traditional Portuguese events and customs still regularly take place in the city of Lisbon, such as the Changing of the Republican Guard on the third Sunday of every month, which takes place outside of the Presidential Palace, in nearby Belém. Festival lovers will be pleased to find many seasonal festivals and similar events in Lisbon, which are at their biggest and most popular during the summer months.
Look out for the surfing at the European Wave Freestyle Funboard Championship, the Cascais International Sailing Week, and the Festival Super Rock (Superbock), which takes place at the Alvalade Stadium (Estádio José Alvalade), a giant stadium with a capacity of more than 50,000 people. Other prominent venues in Lisbon include the Coliseu dos Recreios on the Rua das Portas de Santo Antao, the Estadio da Luz (Football Stadium) on the Avenida Norton de Matos, and the modern the Estádio José Alvalade, which is located on the Rua Professor Fernando da Fonseca and opened relatively recently in 2003, being able to accommodate some 52,000 spectators.
Lisbon Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015
January
- Festival of Kadampa Buddhism - late January, a relatively new event to arrive in Portugal, offering an insight into meditation and everything involved with Kadampa Buddhism
February
- International Festival of Classic Guitar, February / March, a celebration of the classic guitar, with various performances of traditional Portuguese guitar music
March
- King Juan Carlos' Cup - early March to late April, a truly international springtime sailing regatta, based along the coastline of Cascais and Estoril
- EDP Lisbon Half Marathon - mid-March, more than 25,000 runners of all abilities take to the streets alongside the River Tagus for this long running race
April
- IndieLisboa - throughout April, a leading independent Portuguese film festival, currently drawing visitor numbers in excess of 20,000
- Lisbon Golf Coast Festival - early April to May, a hugely significant golfing event, with many of the region's best coastal golf clubs joining in the fun and games
- Lisboa International Triathlon - late April, a grueling sporting event held each year towards the end of April, comprising swimming, running and cycling
May
- Estoril Open - throughout May, some of the world's premier tennis players head to Lisbon in May to compete at the Estoril Open, with many televised games and crowds of cheering tennis fans, who play on clay tennis courts
- Bullfighting Season - May to September, definitely not for everyone, Portugal's traditional bullfighting season commences at the Campo Pequeno on the Avenida da Républica
- Feira do Livro (Book Fair) - May to June, almost two months long, Lisbon's Book Fair is always popular and is held within the centrally located Eduardo VII Park. This is a good opportunity to meet authors and purchase some great cut-price books
June
- Alkantara Festival - throughout June, a range of performances take place in some of the city's biggest and most noteworthy theatres, along with more intimate venues, during this exciting visual arts festival
- Lisbon Village Festival - throughout June, many cinemas, halls, theatres and similar venues screen a variety of films for all ages. You can also expect movie-related discussions and the chance to meet some of the actual filmmakers
- Procissao de Santo António - June 13th, a long procession around the neighbourhood of Alfama, honoring St. Anthony and enjoyed by thousands
- European Wave Freestyle Funboard Championship / PWA World Cup Guincho Wave Contest - June and July, attracting some of the top surfers on the planet, who head to Sintra's nearby Guincho Beach each summer to enjoy the strong waves and compete in events such as the popular European Wave Freestyle Funboard Championship. Huge crowds from the Lisbon region gather at Guincho Beach to watch the world-class surfing
- Super Bock Super Rock - June and July, open-air rock and pop concerts are held in various central parks, such as both the Parque das Naçoes and also the Parque do Tejo
- Festival Super Rock (Superbock) - late June / early July, bands from around the world perform at the Nations Park (Parque das Naçoes) and at the enormous Alvalade Stadium (Estádio José Alvalade)
- Cascais International Sailing Week - late June / throughout July, an exciting sailing competition taking in the beautiful scenery around Lisbon's coastline
- Festa dos Tabuleiros (Festival of the Trays) - late June / throughout July, an unusual parade of literally hundreds of young girls, who walking through the streets of nearby Tomar, close to Lisbon, balancing flowers and other items on their heads. This event is only held once every four years
July
- Semanas de Música do Estoril (Estoril Music Festival) - July and August, an acclaimed music festival attracting famous symphony orchestras and leading choirs from Portugal and beyond
- BaixAnima Street Festival - July to September, the locals in Lisbon rarely need an excuse to party and always come out in force during these festivities, when live music, theatrical productions, street entertainment and costumed parades are just some of the many highlights
- Festival de Sintra (Sintra Music Festival) - throughout July, many musical events and concerts take place in the neighbouring town of Sintra, at venues such as the Town Palace and the Olga Cadaval Cultural Centre
- Jazz on a Summer's Day - throughout July, jazz concerts are staged around the city and also in the neighbouring municipalities of both Cascais and Estoril
- Lisboa Mágica - late July / early August, worldly magicians arrive in Lisbon to perform and showcase their talents in front of captivated audiences. The Lisboa Mágica lasts around one week and is always extremely popular
- Estoril Crafts Fair - late July to early September, a bustling market held within the fairground, alongside the Casino Estoril. A chance to pick up some inexpensive Portuguese handicrafts
August
- Jazz in August - throughout August, open-air jazz concerts are staged at the Gulbenkian Gardens and also at many other nearby venues. This event has taken place in Lisbon since the late 1980s and lasts the entire month
- Estoril Coast International Canine Expo - late August, a summer dog show of world-class standards, staged at the Estoril Casino Gardens and dating back around 60 years
September
- Festival Regional de Gastronomia de Leiria - throughout September, a chance to enjoy some of the best Portuguese cuisine on offer, with many restaurants around Lisbon serving up traditional cuisine and flavoursome regional dishes
- Lisbon Gay and Lesbian Film Festival - mid-September, established in the mid-1990s and now attracting large audiences who actively support this gay event. Participating cinemas include both the Sao Jorge and the Quarteto
October
- Great World Orchestras, October to May, a series of concerts performed in Lisbon by orchestras from around the world and hosted by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
November
- Estoril and Sintra International Golf Week - early November, a true celebration of golf in Portugal, with international golfers playing at a number of the region's leading golf clubs, including the extremely noteworthy Estoril Golf Course
- National Horse Fair - mid-November, a leading equestrian event held in the nearby municipality of Golega, directly north-east of Lisbon
December
- Lisbon Marathon - early December, runners from throughout the world race through the streets, around the same circuit used for the EDP Half Marathon in March
- New Year's Eve (Noite Magica) - December 31st, traditional partying and festivities leading up to the midnight fireworks