Portimão is synonymous with summer and fun.
On 24 June, a large number of promoters and public personalities graced the presentation of the summer activities.
To reward the locals and tourists who choose the municipality for their vacation, Portimão is offering an unbeatable blend of culture, leisure, and fun for families this summer. Some of the highlights include Moonlight Thursdays, Noitada, the Lota Cool Market, and the Humor.PTM Festival, along with the World Press Photo Exhibition, among many other events.
The program’s highlights were unveiled at a meeting attended by the key promoters, which took place in the lovely outdoor area of PTM DownTown Brunch Cocktails, located in the heart of the city. The programme started this month and runs until September.
During the occasion, the deputy mayor of Portimão, Álvaro Bila, stressed that “the main objective is to boost the city’s historic centre through the anchor events that we want to launch in this centenary year, so that they can continue in the future.” He also revealed that “we are working with the University of the Algarve to assess their economic impact, starting with Noitada, so that we can provide transparent accounts, as we have nothing to hide and operate in the utmost honesty, together with the promoters.”
Álvaro Bila emphasised that the fact that the municipality of Portimão is no longer in excessive debt “will enable us to recover our financial autonomy, to invest in these anchor events and continue with what has been planned.”
Ana António, president of the APCS – Associação Portimonense do Comércio e Serviços (Portimão Association of Commerce and Services), spoke about Quintas ao Luar (Thursdays in the Moonlight), which will take place between July 4 and September 5, “as a result of a huge desire to revitalise our city centre, and which already has more than 30 shops participating.”
According to the association’s leader, “the traders have been challenged to keep their shops open until 10pm every Thursday, while there will be street entertainment at three strategic points in Portimão, with lots of music, DJs and performances that will attract people to stroll around this after-dinner trade.”
Portimonense Paulo Silver, CEO of NewSheet, CMP’s partner in the production of Noitada (26 and 27 July), said that “the event wants to reach the Algarve and even Portugal, showing how beautiful Portimão is, with its unique luminosity, following the reflection of the River Arade throughout the city.”
“There will be installations at 20 different points, between music stages and works of art, interactive streets, 12 metre-high inflatables and light everywhere,” said the promoter, who hopes that “this production with home-grown talent will be part of the international light festival circuit in the near future, with the strong contribution of local associations and talents capable of creating incredible, surprising things for everyone.”
Between 24 and 28 July, the Lota Cool Market will return to Portimão’s waterfront on the initiative of the Teia D’Impulsos association. The association’s representative, Inês Reis, has guaranteed that this year’s edition will have several new features in its dynamic. The market will extend from the old Lota area to Jardim Bívar, with lots of music and street food.
Art at the highest level
Classical music, literature and photography deserve a prominent place in the list of unmissable proposals and Portimão’s old Lota will host another World Press Photo exhibition from 29 July to 18 August, bringing together the best images of 2023, an aspect highlighted by João Mendes, of the Música XXI Association, reminding us that Portimão has been hosting the world’s largest photojournalism exhibition since 1999, “with a few breaks, but always with free entry, as determined by the Municipality itself, which makes the city part of this international route. “
In terms of literature, Jardim 1º de Dezembro will host the fourth edition of the Verão Azul literary meetings, scheduled for the four Saturdays in July, always starting at 18:30.
João Ventura, the main organizer of this literary event, disclosed that the following writers would participate: Matilde Campilho and Susana Moreira Marques (July 6); Afonso Cruz and Joana Bértholo (July 13); Francisco José Viegas and Gonçalo M. Tavares (July 20); and Lídia Jorge and Ana Margarida de Carvalho (July 27).
Regarding classical music, the programme “Manuel Teixeira Gomes and Artistic Production in the Alvores of the 20th Century” is presented by Grupo Coral Adágio/Academia de Música de Portimão. Its purpose is to honour the preferences and era of the eminent writer and former President of the Republic, who is regarded as “a recognised art lover.”
Between July 16 and July 28, there will be a number of events, including tours of the ancient city with well-known vocalists and a group.
