Portugal becomes a huge stage in its summer months. It's incredible the amount of festivals - where music is king - that this small country hosts in a period of about four months.
You do not believe? So pay attention to these dates... and, above all, enjoy!
07 - 10 JUN 2023 | City Park, Porto | NOS PRIMAVERA SOUND PORTO
Primavera Sound was born in 2001 in Barcelona, Spain. Since then, annually, between the end of May and the beginning of June, it receives countless artists to celebrate what has already become one of the biggest festivals in all of Europe. The main objective of the festival is to promote the latest trends in music, in the rock and pop genres, but also has the presence of internationally renowned bands and DJs. One of its best-known features is the dissemination of talents that are not so well known to the general public.
The success of the festival brought it to the city of Porto for the first time in 2012. In 2022 the festival expanded outside Europe, with editions located in Los Angeles (USA), Santiago (Chile), Buenos Aires (Argentina) and São Paulo (Brazil).
Dates announced (and already passed) for 2023 on the European continent: Barcelona (01-03 Jun), Madrid (08-10 Jun) and Porto (07-10 Jun). Spring (Primavera) arrives in the South American continent at the end of the year: Buenos Aires (25-26 Nov), São Paulo (02-03 Dec), Asunción, Paraguay (07 Dec) and Bogotá, Colombia (09-10 Dec) . In 2023 the festival celebrated its 10th edition in the city of Porto, with Kendrick Lamar, Rosalía, Pet Shop Boys and Blur as headliners.
22/23 and 29/30 JUN 2024 | Parque da Bela Vista, Lisbon | ROCK IN RIO LISBON
It is an iconic festival at an international level, born on the other side of the Atlantic, in Brazil, in the city of Rio de Janeiro, as its name indicates. It is a festival organized in Lisbon every 2 years, since 2004, so there will be no edition in 2023. Its edition in Lisbon is usually organized in two consecutive weekends filled with renowned artists from the Portuguese scene, Brazilian and international. In 2022, it received 287,000 people over the 4 days of the festival.
And it continues to follow the philosophy and message of its founder, Roberto Medina, when he says “I realized that the weapons I have to make the world a little better are music and the festival. It's what I know how to do well.”
(https://rockinriolisboa.sapo.pt/)
30 JUN – 01 JUL 2023 | Aterro Norte Beach, Matosinhos | NEW ERA BEACH PARTY
It is considered one of the biggest 'beach parties' in Europe and also the biggest electronic music festival in the country. It has changed sponsors over the years: EDP (from 2007 to 2018), Galp (2019 and 2020), Brisa (2022) and Nova Era (2021 and 2023).
The festival takes place at Praia do Aterro Norte, in front of the former Petrogal refinery, in Leça da Palmeira, Matosinhos. The 2023 edition welcomes the following artists as headliners: Tiësto, Amelie Lens, Meduza and Morten.
(https://radionovaera.pt/beach-party/line-up)
30 JUN – 01 JUL 2023 | S. João Beach, Costa da Caparica | SUMOL SUMMER FEST
In existence since 2009, this is yet another festival that is celebrated very close to the sea. This year's edition has partnerships that bring to the festival the possibility of experiences in terms of surfing, skateboarding, dancing and art in general.
This year, artists such as Popcaan, Aya Nakamura, Profjam, Bárbara Bandeira, Wiz Khalifa, Matuê, Iann Dior, Gerrilla Girls, among others will pass through its stages.
06 – 08 JUL 2023 | Passeio Marítimo de Algés, Oeiras | NOS ALIVE
The first edition took place in 2007 (then called Oeiras Alive!). Since then, with several changes in its name (it was Optimus Alive from 2008 to 2014), names such as Pearl Jam, The Smashing Pumpkins and Linkin Park (in its 1st edition) have played on these stages, including Bob Dylan, Neil Young, Metallica, The Prodigy, Placebo, Faith No More, Coldplay, Foo Fighters, The Stone Roses, The Cure, Radiohead, Imagine Dragons, Pixies, Depeche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Primal Scream, among many, many others.
Its 15th edition will feature the Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Black Keys on the 1st day, Arctic Monkeys, Lizzo and Lil Nas X on the 2nd day and Sam Smith, Queens Of The Stone Age and Machine Gun Kelly, as headliners.
(https://nosalive.com/)
8, 9, 16, 19, 20, 22, 23, 26, 27 and 29 JUL 2023 | Manuel Possolo Hippodrome, Marechal Carmona Park and Paula Rego House of Stories Gardens, in Cascais | COOL JAZZ
If you're a fan of jazz, blues, soul, rock&blues, pop or anything else similar, then you can't miss some (or all!) of these dates. The 18th edition of this festival will feature Lionel Richie, Kings of Convenience, Snarky Puppy, Van Morrison, Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals, Tiago Bettencourt and Norah Jones, among others. Once again, the atmosphere these days promises to be very… cool.
13 – 15 JUL 2023 | Meco, Sesimbra | SUPER BOCK SUPER ROCK
This festival had its 1st edition in 1995, being organized at Gare Marítima de Alcântara, in Lisbon. In 2008 and 2009 it was organized simultaneously in Lisbon and Porto, although with different dates. Between 2010 and 2014 he moved to Meco, in Sesimbra. In 2015 he returned to Lisbon, to Parque das Nações. And, finally, in 2019 it returned to Meco, Sesimbra, where it is currently organized.
Relevant, or even mythical, names from the international rock scene have passed through it, namely: Jesus & Mary Chain, The Cure, Faith No More, The Prodigy, Massive Attack, David Bowie, Simple Minds, Echo & The Bunnymen, Van Morrison, Leny Kravitz, Pixies, Iggy Pop, Marilyn Manson, Primitive Reason, Placebo, Alice in Chains, Keane, 50 Cent, Metallica, Iron Maden, Beck, Pet Shop Boys, Prince, Portishead, Sting, Eddie Vedder, among many others.
In 2023, The Offspring, The 1975, Steve Lacy, Wu-Tang Clan, Franz Ferdinand and Father John Misty are the biggest names on the program.
(https://superbocksuperrock.pt/)
14 – 16 JUL 2023 | Former Madalena Campsite, V.N.Gaia | MEO MARÉS VIVAS
This is a festival that had its first edition in 1999. It is assumed as a festival with urban characteristics, given its proximity to Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. After a few years located next to Cabedelo, in VNGaia (what a magnificent landscape that was!), since 2022 it has moved to the old Madalena campsite, a few hundred meters from the beach with the same name.
This year's edition will feature Da Weasel, Slow J, Os Quatro e Meia and Jorge Palma on the 1st day, J Balvin, Pablo Alborán, Carolina Deslandes & Bárbara Tinoco and Cláudia Pascoal on the 2nd day, Black Eyed Peas, The Script, Fernando Daniel and Xavir Ruud on the 3rd day.
20 – 27 JUL 2023 | Lake Idanha-a-Nova | BOOM
It started as a party of friends in 1997, in a forest between Setúbal and Alcácer do Sal, which sought to replicate the 'Goa trance' movement in Portugal. Today it is a multicultural and independent international event, which attracts an audience of around 150 nationalities to Idanha-a-Nova, with each event (the most recent) having more than 40,000 people. The festival takes place every two years, on the full moon in July or August.
It is a multidisciplinary festival, crossing different artistic currents, such as music, painting, sculpture, 'land art', interactive installations, video art, plastic arts, graffiti. All complemented with conferences, workshops, gatherings and various presentations.
(https://boomfestival.org/boom2023/)
(https://boom20yearsmovie.boomfestival.org/ - documentary about the 20 years of the festival)
22 – 29 JUL 2023 | Sines and Porto Covo | FESTIVAL MÚSICAS DO MUNDO
The FMM is a music festival held in the municipality of Sines for a few days in July, organized by the Municipality of Sines. The festival was created in 1999.
Its diversified program, presented in historical and urban settings of great beauty, embraces the so-called 'world music' and transcends it. It opens to folk, jazz, alternative music, fusion and urban music. In 22 editions (1999-2022) the festival received around 1,400,000 spectators, held 688 concerts, in which more than 3,600 musicians from more than 100 countries performed.
27 – 30 JUL 2023 | Campinho, Reguengos de Monsaraz | ANDANÇAS
The charismatic “Andanças” is, in its genesis, more than an international festival of traditional music and dance. 'Andanças' is based on four pillars: Dance and Music (social dances as a festive form of social cohesion, recreation of tradition, learning from one another), Volunteering (artists and volunteers, contributing to a common good, regardless of political, commercial and financial powers), Community (building a sense of community with the population, contributing to local development) and Environment/Sustainability (creation and maintenance of its own aesthetics and ethics, creating a space free of pollution, experimenting and disseminating good social, economic and environmental practices).
Organized by the PédeXumbo Association, it began in Évora, in 1996, with one and a half hundred participants. In 1997 and 1998 it moved to the Fraguinha campsite, where it became a unique festival, in its concept, in our country. Between 1999 and 2010 it took place in the village of Carvalhais, where it acquired a national and international dimension, with many hundreds of artists and thousands of participants. Since then, it has passed through the Póvoa e Meadas and Castelo de Vide Dam (2013-2018). Since 2021 the festival has been organized in the village of Campinho, in Reguengos de Monsaraz, 3 km from the banks of the Alqueva, the largest artificial side in Europe, in the heart of Alentejo.
For the 2023 edition, there is a wide and diversified program of dance, music and other arts workshops, along with nights filled with dance concerts, with bands from the four corners of the world. And much, much, much more to experience and enjoy together!
http://www.andancas.net/site/
09 – 12 AUG 2023 | Herdade da Casa Branca, São Teotónio, Odemira | MEO SUDOESTE
“Sudoeste” is one of the most well-known summer festivals in Portugal, as it began in 1997. It has always been located on the Herdade da Casa Branca, and has always been associated with the nearest beach, Zambujeira do Mar, although from the same distance. a few kilometres. Internationally recognized artists have performed on its stages, such as: Portishead, Primal Scream, Muse, Marilyn Manson, Oasis, Faith No More, James, Blur, Placebo, Peter Murphy, Alanis Morissette, Beck, The Cure, The Prodigy, Daft Punk , Madness, Shawn Mendes, among others.
As headliners of the 2023 edition, we will have: David Guetta, Metro Boomin, Niall Horan, Bizarrap, Slow J, Ivandro, L7nnon, among many others.
16 – 19 AUG 2023 | River beach of Taboão, Paredes de Coura | VODAFONE PAREDES DE COURA
Festival with 29 years of existence (it started in 1993), it is one of the oldest of the current main summer music festivals. Its landscape setting (river beach) greatly contributes to this, but also a rigorous selection of musical projects that pass through its stages, among which stand out: Echo & The Bunnymen, Pulp, The Cult, The Prodigy, Sex Pistols, Primal Scream, Morrissey, Foo Fighters, Pixies, Queens of the Stone Age, The Arcade Fire, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Snow Patrol, Arrested Development, P. J. Harvey, Moorcheba, Stone Temple Pilots, The The, Coldplay, among others.
In the last editions of the festival, there has been a greater focus on projects that are not so well known to the general public, but which are still sufficient to guarantee the continuation of a great influx and quality to the festival.
(https://www.vodafoneparedesdecoura.com/)
Other Festivals:
27 JUN - 05 JUL 2023 | Jardins do Marquês, Oeiras | JARDINS DO MARQUÊS
28 – 30 JUN 2023 | Praia da Rocha, Portimão | AFRO NATION
29 JUN - 02 JUL 2023 | Loulé | FESTIVAL MED
05 – 07 JUL 2023 | Praia da Rocha, Portimão | ROLLING LOUD PORTUGAL
07 – 09 JUL 2023 | Praia do Relógio, Figueira da Foz | RFM SOMNII
14, 15, 21 and 22 JUL 2023 | Funchal, Madeira | SUMMER OPENING
27 JUL - 06 AGO | Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, Lisboa | JAZZ EM AGOSTO
03 – 05 AUG 2023 | Vagos | VAGOS METAL FEST
10 - 12 AGO 2023 | Âncora, Caminha | SONIC BLAST
10 - 12 AGO 2023 | Viana do Castelo | NEOPOP
16 - 20 AGO 2023 | Coimbra | LUNA FEST
17 - 20 AGO 2023 | Costa da Caparica, Almada | SOL DA CAPARICA
22 - 26 AGO 2023 | Portalegre | FESTIVAL DO CRATO
24 - 26 AGO 2023 | Vilar de Mouros, Caminha | FESTIVAL VILAR DE MOUROS
24 - 26 AGO 2023 | Praia Formosa, Santa Maria, Açores | MARÉ DE AGOSTO
31 AGO - 03 SET 2023 | Lisboa | MEO KALORAMA
01 – 03 SEP 2023 | Atalaia, Amora, Seixal | FESTA DO AVANTE
23 - 24 SET 2023 | Porto | AMPLIFEST
29 - 30 SET 2023 | Lisboa | SANTA CASA ALFAMA
So?… Have you already decided to go to one of these festivals? Or by going to any other not mentioned here? If you feel like it, then hurry up! Because some of them have already taken place or may be sold out... Arrange with your family, convince some friends or simply decide to go alone. But don't worry, the atmosphere at these festivals is unique and you'll come back with some good new friends!
Want to know more about these festivals? Or do you want to add to this list a festival that deserves to be mentioned here? If so, don't hesitate to contact me:
Marco Moura Marques
+ 351 967 035 966
marco@mouramarques.pt
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