Annual Events in Caldas da Rainha – party throughout the year!
This is the list of the Annual Events in Caldas da Rainha! Here the events take place over the 4 seasons … and there are them for all tastes!
These events are also a way to discover a municipality that tries to preserve its origins and at the same time project the future.
From art to culture and festivities to gastronomy, throughout the year it is possible to find several events that promote the municipality and the community.
Whatever your preference for the theme or the time of year, in Caldas da Rainha you will always find an event to have fun and to know a little more about our history
Embark on this plethora and get to know each of these events better, scrolling through the articles using the arrows above and below.
Carnival
February
It is customary to hear that “this life is two days and Carnival is three”, but in reality the Caldas da Rainha Carnival lasts at least 5 days.
Carnival Corsicans are a tradition in Caldas da Rainha and from the smallest to the largest it is common for everyone to go out on the street to celebrate Carnival.
Between Friday and Tuesday of Carnival the revelry is guaranteed and many Corsicans invade the main arteries of the city!
From the parade of the different schools to the evening corso the party is always guaranteed, whether it’s cold or not!
In addition to the traditional version of the Carnival parade, held on the street, it is still normal to have several collectives and establishments that hold their own parties inviting the community to go partying!
Come and be also the King or Queen of Carnival in our city.
Dog Exhibition
April
Our city receives simultaneously the national and international stage of the Dog Exhibition, during which the most distinguished four-legged friends are chosen, both in the national context and in the international panorama.
The event organized by Expoeste and with the support of the Municipality of Caldas da Rainha has the technical direction of Clube Português de Canicultura.
If you like dogs this is an event not to be missed and a weekend in which you must come to our land and see the best specimens of our four-legged friends.
Whatever the race, size or the most daring skills, in these exhibitions you will certainly be able to see a little bit of everything.
April
The Ofélia Festival – Theater and Performing Arts Festival arises from the interest shown by the students of the Theater Course at ESAD.CR (Higher School of Art and Design) in creating a performance arts exhibition with the aim of celebrating art, theater, performance, voice, body and creativity.
Started in 2011, the Ofélia Theater Festival has established itself as one of the most important theater events in the region, managing to conquer an ever increasing influx of audiences for the various activities it promotes and which are not limited to the representations themselves, there is still a place to training sessions giving the Festival Ofélia a formative and educating character.
Since its first edition, several students and external theater schools, including international ones, have passed through the Ofélia Festival, which certifies the guarantee of the diversity and quality of the programs that are promoted.
City festivities
May
In Caldas da Rainha the City Festivities are celebrated on the municipal holiday, on the 15th of May, which represents the traditional opening day of the bathing season of the local spas.
For this reason, the City Festivals are known among us for the “May 15”!
Thus, the night of the 14th is marked by nightlife with a concert on Avenida 1º de Maio, followed by fireworks, an event that is the highlight of the City Festivities.
On the 15th there are the usual ceremonies that include a Solemn Mass in the Church of Nossa Senhora do Pópulo, the Solemn Session and the award of Medals and the homage to Queen D. Leonor, in addition to other cultural and sporting activities.
Oeste Lusitano
May
The Oeste Lusitano is a horse fair that takes place over three days at Parque D. Carlos I in the heart of the city.
This event had its first edition in 2010 and is promoted by the Lusitano do Oeste Horse Breeders Association in partnership with the Municipality of Caldas da Rainha.
The Lusitano Horse is the main star of this event that aims to aggregate the local community, and promote synergies that make this event unique in the west of Portugal.
With a varied program that goes from equestrian shows to the start of bullfights, music, dance and other shows, this is an event where the animation is continuous, with space for the usual food and drink stands.
.
Caldas Late Night
May
The month of May brings with it Caldas Late Night, an event promoted by ESAD.CR (School of Art and Design) students since 1997.
The purpose of Caldas Late Night is to give students the possibility of showing the work they do to the community.
For this purpose, installations are set up in public spaces in the city or in the students’ own homes, thus giving the city a unique dynamic during the days of the event.
Follow the event, the concerts, the festivals, the Dj’s, the parties and the huge flow of people out of the city that seeks Caldas da Rainha in May to watch the event “in loco”.
Sea Food Festival
May and June
The Seafood Festival is a gastronomic event that brings together the best that is prepared with seafood caught in the Óbidos Lagoon.
With a great tradition for the quality of its seafood from the lagoon, Foz do Arelho has been promoting this festival since 2011, which every year leaves seafood lovers salivating.
But so that satisfaction is not restricted to the stomach and palate. there is also animation where music is the main guest and guarantees good interaction.
If you drool over clams, cockles, crab, shrimp or what you see, this is one of the events that you will have to visit, taking advantage of the surrounding area to enjoy the beach or to contemplate the natural landscape of the Óbidos Lagoon.
OESTEFEST
July
OesteFest is a summer music festival that has been part of the Caldas Annual Events calendar since 2014.
Music is the main guest of this Festival but brings with it many other ways to occupy your time throughout the weekend that OesteFest takes place.
And what better way to bring people to know the best that we have here, than to listen to music with the Óbidos Lagoon as a background?
After snacks in Foz do Arelho restaurants and visiting Caldas da Rainha, its Thermal Hospital, Museums and the iconic Fruit Square, now it’s time to shake your helmet
.
SIMPPETRA
July
SIMPPETRA – International Symposium on Stone Sculpture – is an event that takes place in the garden of the Arts Center in the even years (it is biennial).
With a long tradition and international prestige that began in 1986, SIMPPETRA is today one of the most sought after sculpture symposia in the whole world.
For the duration of the event (approximately one month), the determination and delivery of the sculptors is tireless.
Some of the final results of these efforts in past editions of SIMPPETRA can be seen around the city, whether in roundabouts, gardens or other public spaces. OesteFest is a summer music festival that has been part of the Caldas Annual Events calendar since 2014.
Caldas Anima
July and August
Caldas Anima is a set of events and entertainment activities that take place during the months of July and August in the city center.
Caldas Anima, as its name indicates, aims to bring animation and fun not only on the streets but also in some cultural spaces of Caldas da Rainha.
From magic, theater, circus, music, cinema, parties and fairs at Caldas Anima what counts is that the community goes out into the street, has fun and has a good time.
Given the variety of shows that Caldas Anima proposes you will hardly find a reason for a moment well spent and for not taking the opportunity to wander around the center of Caldas da Rainha during these two months.
Foz do Arelho beach Festivities
July and August
Summer celebrations are not the same without the famous Foz do Arelho beach parties.
Every year, during the summer period, Foz do Arelho beach is a pilgrimage site for the surrounding community, either because of the conditions that the locality offers for a great beach day, or to take advantage of the night.
In addition to the offer of bars and restaurants, there are also the famous parties on the beach that guarantee entertainment, good mood and good music.
The Foz do Arelho beach Festivities program favors weekend evenings and has programs for the whole family, from the oldest to the youngest.
The famous Remember the 80’s, Pais e Filhos or Festa Branca parties are sure that no one will want to miss the Foz do Arelho Beach Parties.
Watercolour Meeting
August
The even years in our land are years of a watercolor painting festival, the Watercolor Meeting, an event that brings us watercolorists from various places in Europe with the challenge of registering in watercolor elements, sites and / or characteristics of our land and that make it also a unique place when depicted in watercolor.
The challenge is proposed by the Cultural and Congress Center (CCC), which organizes the Watercolor Meeting since 2010 with a biennial character, and guarantees highly skilled artistic records that help us to rediscover our land from different points of view and through the artistic genius of those who comes from outside.
During the course of the Watercolor Meeting it is possible to see the artists performing the works of art.
The works resulting from this international meeting are later exposed for contemplation at the CCC.
For those who like Caldas and its corners, the Watercolor Meeting is the guarantee of a new dazzle with the treasures of our land.
August 15th
August
The celebration of August 15th is an old tradition in the country and in Caldas da Rainha the tradition is to maintain.
The parties in honor of Nossa Senhora da Conceição stand out for holding two events with historic traditions in the city.
On the one hand, the traditional Feira de 15 de Agosto, held at Largo da Feira and which normally takes place in a very festive atmosphere.
If you like entertainment, circus, carousels, cotton candy, bifanas and cheap clothes you can believe that this party was made for you.
No less traditional and no less frequented, the 15th of August Bullfight is another important moment of this day, making our century-old Plaza de Toros one of the main stages of this day.
Expotur
August
EXPOTUR is known among us as “the tasquinhas” and is an annual event, one of the largest tourist and cultural events in the region in the summer and which has more than twenty editions.
The event is organized by the Municipality of Caldas da Rainha and the parish councils of the municipality and brings together local associations and collectives promoting gastronomy, ethnography, handicrafts and associations in the region.
Running over ten days, the event also features animation, namely with the artistic representations of the communities and even concerts every day.
EXPOTUR intends to take advantage of the presence of thousands of tourists in the region and invites them to come to Caldas da Rainha to know the best around here in the most diverse areas.
FRUITS – National Horticulture Fair
August
FRUTOS is a fair with a long tradition in Caldas da Rainha that dates back to 1979 and is a historic event in our city.
With Parque D. Carlos I as its stage, FRUTOS seeks, on the one hand, to provide a space for dissemination and diffusion to the horticultural sector and the best it has to offer.
On the other hand, it allows the local population to have a nationwide event with all the opportunities that this type of event takes with them, allowing them to contribute even more to the animation of the summer in Caldas along with other initiatives.
FRUTOS adds various animations to the fruit and vegetable products and the typical food and drink stalls, making Parque D. Carlos I a mandatory stop for all those in Caldas da Rainha.
Caldas nice Jazz
October and November
Caldas nice Jazz Festival is a musical event where Jazz is the main guest.
Seeking to create a taste for this style of music in the community, Caldas nice Jazz tries to assert itself not only with the promotion of concerts on large stages, but taking jazz to the squares and squares of the city.
This strategy tries in this way to bring jazz in its different forms of expression to all types of audiences.
Since 2012, Caldas nice Jazz stands out as an international event, not only for the guests who bring Caldas da Rainha but also for audiences of different nationalities who have already attended the various shows promoted.
Whether at concerts at the Cultural and Congress Center (CCC) or at shows in different parts of the city, don’t miss Caldas nice Jazz.
MAGA – Visual Arts Exhibition
The calendar may vary
MAGA – Visual Arts Exhibition is an initiative promoted since 2008 by Atelier Arte e Expressão.
Maga’s main objective is to promote, disseminate and enhance illustration and illustrators.
But the condition is that the authors of the illustrations have some kind of personal or professional connection with our city.
Running over the course of several days, Maga travels through different areas of the city, showing itself in different contexts.
MAGA is not limited to exhibiting works, combining other manifestations of art such as music, multimedia, artistic performances, presentations, fairs, among others.
For art lovers, this is yet another event not to be missed.
Ornithological Exhibition
November
It is a tradition in Caldas to hold the Ornithological Exhibition, an event organized by the Ornithological Club of Caldas da Rainha with the support of the Municipality of Caldas da Rainha and Expoeste, where the event takes place.
Also known as ExpoAves Caldas da Rainha, the event allows that during a weekend, from Friday to Sunday, it is possible to visit and meet a wide variety of birds in a total of close to a thousand animals and watch the awarding of prizes for the best specimens.
If you have a special taste for birds, this is an event that you must visit, taking the opportunity to get to know our city and its treasures better.
Caldas Street Food Festival
December
The Caldas Street Food Festival is time to showcase the most delicious and delicious delicacies that can be found on the street trucks around the 1ª de Maio avenue.
Among the high moments of the Christmas period in our land, this is certainly one of the most delicious.
The food stalls from all over the world promise to indulge the most demanding palates and the most unhappy stomachs.
But the Caldas Street Food Festival is much more than eating, it is also music, animation, tastings and showcooking activities and promises to claim even more the Caldean Christmas period over the four days of the event.
If eating is your beach, the Caldas Street Food Festival is your luxury resort for a well-deserved holiday with all the best for your stomach.
Caldas da Rainha Christmas
December
Among the various high moments of the Christmas period in our land, there are two that stand out and that you cannot fail to contemplate.
We have the typical Christmas illuminations that give a special light to the main streets and that make our “open air shopping center” an even more interesting option to make your Christmas shopping, spreading the electric current of these illuminations to the main historical monuments.
On the other hand, you also have the giant Christmas tree, placed in Praça 25 de Abril and that delights all those who pass by and who are not indifferent to the dimensions of the tree and the lights.
In addition to this you can always count on the varied traditional trade and full of options as well as all the heritage and history of our city that is no less interesting.
Ceramics Festival
All Year Long
The Ceramics Festival makes parte of the Annual Events in Caldas da Rainha is a way to honor and help promote the ceramics produced in the city..
Pottery is a tradition of our city and one of our greatest brand images, whether through the work of the masters Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro, Manuel Gomes Mafra, either by Secla, by Ferreira da Silva’s genius or even by phallic dishes that leaves no one indifferent.
It has always been the city’s tradition to hold fairs and parties to publicize the sector and local potters and this tradition continues with exhibitions but also workshops, colloquia and publications dedicated to the theme.
If you like ceramics, our city is a mandatory stopover point and the Festa da Cerâmica is an event not to be missed, with the advantage of being scattered throughout the year, making it impossible to miss even a part of it.
