January
1: New Year’s Day (closures)
6: Epiphany (Dia de Reis; bands of carolers go from house to house)
February
28. Carnaval (a.k.a. Entrudo, particularly vibrant in Lisbon and Algarve towns, some closures for Shrove Tuesday
March
19: St. Joseph’s Day (Dia de São José), Santarém
19: Lisbon Half Marathon, road closures in Lisbon, contact us for registration super scenic race over the bridge
March or April: Obidos International Chocolate Festival
April
7-8: Lisbon Fish & Flavors (a.k.a. Peixe em Lisboa, gourmet seafood festival)
10–15: Holy Week (Semana Santa, religious processions, especially in Obidos and Porto)
14–16: Easter weekend (Good Friday through Easter Sunday; closures)
Late April: Music Days in Belém (classical music marathon)
25: Liberty Day (parades, fireworks; closures)
May
1: May Day/Labor Day (closures)
3–14: Indie Lisbon International Film Festival
8–13: Queima das Fitas, Coimbra (“burning of the ribbons”: graduation festivities)
13 – 17 Pope Francis visiting Fatima
11–28: Festival de Sintra (classical music and opera)
13: Major pilgrimage to Fatima (Peregrinação de Fátima); 2017 marks the centennial of the Apparition of Our Lady
Throughout June:
Festas de Lisboa, Lisbon (series of festivals with celebrations peaking on St. Anthony’s Day)
10: Portuguese National Day (Dia de Camões; closures)
Early June (1 week):National Agricultural Festival, Santarém (dancing, bullfights, bull-running)
Early June 8–10: Nos Primavera Sound, Porto (indie music festival)
12–13: St. Anthony’s Day (Dia de Santo António), Lisbon (processions and dancing)
23–24: St. John’s Day (Dia de São João), Porto (fireworks, dancing)
29: St. Peter’s Day (Dia de São Pedro), Évora (dancing, processions)
July
Musical Festival season – NOS Alive,Superbock, Primavera NOS, Mares Vivas, etc
August
1-5: SudOeste Festival, Zambujeira do Mar (four-day rock festival)
11-18 (1 week): Boom Festival, Idanha-a-Nova (Burning Man-like arts festival)
15: Assumption Day (religious festival; closures)
September
8: Our Lady of Nazaré Festival (procession, concerts, folk dancing, bullfights, fairs)
December
All month of December Vila Natal, Óbidos (Christmas lights, ice rink, performances)
8: Feast of the Immaculate Conception (Imaculada Conceição, closures)
24: Christmas Eve (Véspera de Natal, midnight mass then feast)
25: Christmas Day (Natal, closures)
31: New Year’s Eve (Noite de Ano Novo, fireworks, banging of pots and pans)