The second annual Ukrainian Portuguese Festival, Felizonda will be held on 29 June in Lagos
Shortly after the war in Ukraine started in February 2022, the Ukrainian non-profit,community organisation ORANTA hosted its first cultural festival here in the Algarve. Felizonda was held in Lagos in May 2022 and was attended by over 3,000 people.
The goal of the festival was to celebrate and share Ukraine’s rich culture with Portuguese residents and expats, and to raise morale for the Ukrainian community living in Portugal, including recent refugees. The organisers also wanted to say thank you for the overwhelming support and warm welcome the Ukrainian community has received in Portugal since the war began. The Câmara of Lagos, the Marina of Lagos, and other local businesses and individual sponsors were major contributors to the success of the festival.
Proceeds from the festival were used by ORANTA to purchase and repair a 4×4 ambulance and a Jeep that are now helping doctors and soldiers on the frontlines in Ukraine.
This year’s Felizonda Ukrainian Portuguese Festival will take place on the Avenida de Lagos over four days, from 29 June to 2 July. An estimated 40,000 participants are expected to attend the event this year. Admission is free.
This year’s line-up will feature the famous 36-piece Ukrainian National Orchestra that will be in Portugal especially for the event. In addition to other Ukrainian musical acts, there will be performances from Portuguese artists and other international bands. Along with a full timetable of music, the festival will have a replica of a typical Ukrainian village, traditional dancing and costumes, food trucks, jewellery and other hand-crafted items from both Ukraine and Portugal. A children’s games area will also keep the younger guests happy.
A live video link with the Ministry of Culture in Ukraine is also planned to provide a bridge between the two countries and share the spirit of Ukrainian culture with those still living in Ukraine.
Proceeds from this year’s festival will be used to support the Center for Rehabilitation in Ukraine. The centre, recently featured on CNN, was started by a mother who lost her son, who was a pilot, in the war. The centre helps the physically and psychologically traumatised soldiers and citizens of Ukraine get the support and treatment they need.
How you can help:
- Become a sponsor
- Make a donation
- Perform at the festival. Organisers are still filling the entertainment roster with Portuguese bands and other musical acts
- Join the festival walk, Caminhando Juntos, on Sunday, 2 July
Facebook: Felizonda
