Events in the Algarve

Find out what's going on in the Algarve while you're here. Markets, fairs, festivals, concerts, parties, sports and much more! Uncover events in the Algarve with AlgarveUncovered.com

The Algarve events programme is packed throughout the year, with traditional weekly markets, exhibitions, theatre shows, dance and concerts to a whole host of fantastic annual events! There are huge parties and fireworks at New Year, colourful carnivals at Mardi Gras, world renowned sports events like the Portugal Masters golf tournament and a sizzling summer of beach parties, music events and famous food festivals and medieval fairs. So watch this space for not-to-be-missed Algarve events!

ALGARVE EVENTS JULY 2019

Here are just some of the highlights from the Visit Algarve July 2019 events programme!

Lagoa - Culture Market at Candle Light - 04 July To 07 July 2019

The 6th edition of Culture Marke at Candlelight will take place between the 4th and the 7th of July.

The theme will be ‘Mediterranean Cultures’ in various fields such as music, dance gastronomy, handicrafts and exhibitions. Every day, thousands of candles are lit forming shapes inspired by 40 Mediterranean- related symbols for a visually impacting show.

Albufeira - 23rd Hunting, Fishing, Tourism and Nature Fair - 05 July To 07 July 2019

Food, entertainment, animals exhibition, equestrian activities, cynology, handicrafts and much more!

Portimao - Neverending Tour: Eduardo Madeira & Manuel Marques - 06 July 2019

The comedians Eduardo Madeira and Manuel Marques perform at TEMPO for a surprising fakir act, acrobats and prestidigitation with marmots. It’s either this or comedy with music in between. Society, politics and sports will be debated and analysed in anything but a serious, impartial way.

São Brás de Alportel - Seafood Mini-Festival - 06 July To 07 July 2019

Starting from 8pm

Faro beach - Charity Race for Algarve Regional Multiple Sclerosis Association (AREMDA) - 07 July 2019

9:30am

Lagos - Lagos Food Fest - 11 July To 14 July 2019

From 12 noon in the Infante Square and Constituicao Gardens

Logoa - 17th Conventual Sweet Display - 17 July To 21 July 2019

Free entry at S. Jose Convent, from 7pm until late.

Castro Marim - International Snail Festival - 19 July To 21 July 2019

From 6pm

Faro - Ria Formosa Festivities – 25 July To 04 August 2019

Faro’s most import food event. Daily entertainment for 11 days while savouring the best seafood from Ria Formosa and other regional delicacies inspired by local recipes and traditions.

Algarve Markets

Algarve markets are always popular and they are a great place to soak up the local culture. The biggest and best known are the Saturday morning gypsy market in Loulé and the Wednesday morning market in Quarteira, where you can buy everything from lace to pots and pans! Most towns and villages have their own local daily markets for really fresh (and cheap) local produce as well as a monthly gypsy market, so there is nearly always somewhere close by if you can’t resist a bargain!

Albufeira markets

Gipsy / Flea Market on the street ‘Rua da Escolas’ (near the municipal canteen) on the 3rd Saturday of every month
Market twice a month in Caliços on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of every month

Alcoutim markets

Monthly market in Pereiro: In front of the church, on the 4th Sunday of every month
Monthly market in Vaqueiros: (Exit to Bentos), on the 2nd Thursday of every month

Aljezur market

Monthly market near ‘Igreja Nova’ (the “new” church) on the 3rd Monday of every month.

Almancil market

Market twice a month near the school in Almancil on the 1st and 4th Sunday of every month

Castro Marim market

Monthly market at the town marketplace on the 2nd Saturday of every month

Portimão market

Gipsy / Flea market at the ‘Fairs and Exhibition Park’ in Portimão on the 1st Monday and 3rd Sunday every month

Faro market

Monthly market in Estói: Near the food market (“Mercado Abastecedor”) on the 2nd Sunday of every month

Lagoa markets

Gipsy Market in front of Fatacil in Lagoa on the 4th Sunday of every month
Monthly market in front of Fatacil in Lagoa on the 2nd Sunday of every month
Monthly market in Ferragudo on the 2nd Sunday of the month
Monthly market in Estombar at the Fairs and Exhibitions Park on the last Saturday of every month

Lagos markets

Weekly Saturday Farmers Market next to the bus station, 9-1pm.
Gipsy Market at the municipal stadium (Estádio Municipal) on the 1st Saturday every month
Cultural Centre (on the street ‘Rua da Mata’) on the 4th Sunday of every month

Loulé market

Weekly market on the street called ‘Rua da Nossa Senhora da Piedade’ every Saturday

Monchique markets

Gipsy / flea market in the square ‘Largo dos Chorões’ on the 4th Sunday of every month
Monthly market in the market square ‘Largo do Mercado’ on the 2nd Friday of every month

Olhão markets

Gipsy / Flea market at Fuzeta (near the camping site) on the 1st Sunday of every month
Monthly market in Moncarapacho on the street called ‘Rua das Olarias’ on the 1st Sunday every month

Vila do Bispo markets

Monthly market (in front of the market hall in Vila do Bispo) on the 1st Thursday of every month
Market in Barão de São Miguel on the 1st Monday of every month

Vila Real de Santo António markets

Monthly market in Vila Real in the square ‘Praça Marques do Pombal’ on the 2nd Saturday of every month
Monthly market in Monte Gordo (next to Turismo – tourist information office) on the 4th Saturday of every month
Monthly market in Vila Nova de Cacela, near to the market building on the 3rd Sunday of every month

Quarteira market

Weekly market in ‘Jardim Filipe Jonas’ every Wednesday

Sagres market

Monthly market, in front of the market hall on the 1st Friday of every month

São Brás de Alportel markets

Gipsy / Flea Market on the street ‘Rua 1.º de Junho’ (near the school ‘Poeta Bernardo Passos’) on the 3rd Sunday of every month
Weekly Market on the street ‘Rua Boaventura Passos’ every Saturday

Silves market

Gipsy / Flea Market, next to the Cemetery on the 3rd Monday of every month

Tavira markets

Antiques / Gipsy Market on ‘Avenida D. Manuel I’ (near to the new market hall) on the 1st Saturday every month
Monthly market on the street ‘Rua Vale Caranguejo’ on the 3rd Saturday of every month

Algarve Annual Events

January Events in the Algarve

Festival of “Chouriças” (Sausages), which is also known as the Festival of S. Luís, the patron saint of animals in Querença .
Janeiras Festival in Silves. The tradition of the Janeiras (seasonal songs) dates back to ancient times when, at the beginning of each year, the Romans would greet each other to evoke the god Janus who represented the guardian of the gateway to heaven.

February Events in the Algarve

Carnivals take place across the Algarve on Shrove Tuesday and the preceding weekend. (If Easter is late, this can be in March)
Cycling Tour of the Algarve (Volta ao Algarve)

March Events in the Algarve

Festival of Hot bread and fresh cheese (Feira do Pão Quente e Queijo Fresco) in Vaqueiros.
Traditional Sausage Fair in Monchique
Gastronomy Festival of the Serra in Tavira (March/April)

April Events in the Algarve

‘Liberation Day’ on April 25th is always a reason for fireworks, music and entertainment in towns across the region.
Vodafone Rally of Portugal – Algarve Stadium is the base for the event with superspecial stages at the beginning and close of the rally (sometimes takes place in May)
Baja Terras d’El Rei ( off road championships) – various locations

Easter Events in the Algarve

Folar Fairs across the Algarve with music and entertainment and a chance to try the traditional ‘folar’ cakes – Easter cakes with hard boiled eggs (complete with shells) on top!
Flower Torches Festival in São Brás de Alportel on Easter Sunday
Feast of The Sovereign Mother (‘Festa Pequena’) in Loulé – a tradition dating from the 16th century.
Triumphal Procession on Palm Sunday (Sunday before Easter Sunday) in Tavira – This is a religious event that was started in the 18th century by the Carmelite Order of the City of Tavira. The procession consists of decorated litters with gilt woodwork and images depicting the life of Christ from the Mount of Olives to his death.

May Events in the Algarve

May Day is a day for celebrations and traditionally the festivities include dancing and music as well as heading into the countryside for a picnic lunch.
May Fair in Azinhal- A chance to see the traditional skills that are typical of the area – bobbin lace, basketwork, embroidery, tapestry and weaving of esparto grass.
Festa da Pinha (Festival of the Pine Cone) in Estoi – a traditional festival to celebrate spring
“The Gastronomy of the Sea” – Festival in Tavira
Snail Festival in Castro Marim
International sand sculpture festival at Pêra from May to October

June Events in the Algarve

‘Feira da Terra’ (local produce market) in Aljezur on 1st Saturday of each month from June to October
Handicrafts Fair in Alcoutim
Popular Saints Festivals across the Algarve celebrating St. Anthony, St. John and St. Peter. The warm nights are filled with the aromas of barbecues and grilled sardines as the towns and villages celebrate, often partying until the small hours!
Portuguese Gastronomy week in Lagoa
Caldeirada (Fish stew) Festival in Armação de Pêra
“Pleasures of the Sea” Festival in Aljezur – gastronomy, music, entertainment
“Festival Med” in Loulé- mediterranean music, gastronomy and handicrafts

July Events in the Algarve

“Arte Doce” Competition and Fair in Lagos – a wide range of traditional sweets as an art form! Also musical entertainment in the evenings
Loulé Handicraft Fair
Fair of the Serra in São Brás de Alportel
Fair of Traditional Smoked Ham in Monchique
Algarve International Motorbike meeting in Faro

August Events in the Algarve

The festival of ‘Our Lady of the Oracle’ (the patron saint of Albufeira fishermen)
Municipal Day in Albufeira with lots of entertainment and fireworks
Vaqueiros Festival (near Alcoutim)
Burgau Festival
Barão de S. Miguel festivals
FATACIL in Lagoa – It is the major fair of handicrafts, tourism, agriculture, business and industry in the Algarve and also includes horse shows, evening entertainment and gastronomy
Medieval Fair in Silves
Medieval Fair in Castro Marim
Sardine Festival in Portimão – live music and entertainment, plus, of course, barbecued sardines!
Shellfish Festival in Olhão – a major event with live music every night

September Events in the Algarve

Fishermen’s festival at Praia dos Pescadores in Albufeira including a gastronomy festival
Festival in Alcoutim
Festival in Martinlongo

October Events in the Algarve

Portugal Masters in Vilamoura for the golf enthusiasts
Santa Iria Fair in Faro – lots of entertainment, fairground rides and stalls at this 400 year old fair.
Festival in honour of Nossa Senhora da Alva in Aljezur
Festival and fair in Raposeira
AgroExpo in Vila do Bispo – A fair of economic activities, tourism, gastronomy, handicrafts and livestock farming. Another essential ingredient is evening entertainment, with plenty of music on four consecutive days
Partridge Fair in Martim Longo
Gastronomy fortnight in Almancil
Annual Fair in Monchique

November Events in the Algarve

St. Martin’s Fair in Portimão
Sweet Potato Festival in Aljezur
Gastronomy week in Messines
Casinos do Algarve Rally with stages in Portimão and Monchique

December Events in the Algarve

Loulé Mountain Fair – The aim of this festival is to enable people to find out more about the diversity and popular culture of the parishes of the “Serra do Caldeirão”. Visitors will be able to get a close up view of handicrafts, a variety of products, gastronomy, ethnography and the traditions of the upland regions.
Albufeira Christmas Grand Prix – a 9km run and a 3km Father Christmas Walk