The Algarve’s Festivals

There are a number of festivals which take place in the Algarve each year. These range from religious festivals to music events and there is something to suit all tastes.

In January the religious festival of the Festa das Sao Luis is held in Querenca. This is the patron saint of animals and the festival is celebrated – rather unusually – with a smoked sausage auction. February and March sees the Loule carnival with plenty of costumed locals, floats, music and plenty of dancing.

In mid-April there is the Feira de Mae Soberana. This is in Loule and is split into two parts. The smaller part of the festival sees a 16th century statue being brought down to the church of Sao Francisco. The bigger half of the festival occurs a fortnight after this with a procession to return the statue. Alternatively, the Festival de Gastronomia Serrana is perfect for those who want to try some of the local cuisine. There will be restaurants taking part and the dishes are specifically from the region. In July there is a Beer Festival which is perfect for enthusiasts and which features beers from all around the world.

There are several music festivals in the region. These include the Jazz festival in Lagos in April which runs for five days. There is also the Festival Internacional do Musica do Algarve that can be visited between April and June. International names take part in this festival and there are plenty of opportunities to see shows if in the area at the time.