Both pagan either religious or a mixture of both these parties are the cement of the cultural identity of the Algarve. These parties keep alive the traditions and customs, through color-filled celebrations, music, dance and brejeirices. When the almond trees begin to blossom, the Shrovetide or Carnival brings the Corsican floats and the party that no one leads to evil. Although Loulé organize one of the most lavish carnivals, there is always this celebration in another Algarve town. In the first of May, the tradition of “attack may” bring the proof of the first figs of previous crops, drizzled with berry brandy, become a small delights spring. The tang parties remain this month and the obligatory stop is in Salir (Loulé), to watch the ethnographic parade and listen to the songs of folklore. The following is June, month of summer and the month of camp and Bailarico in the days of the popular saints, from St. Anthony, St. John to St. Peter, the festivals are celebrated throughout the Algarve, where you eat good and beautiful sardines and drink the delicious red wine, accompanied by the sound of popular marches. Already in August brings the ritual bath 29, reminiscent of serrenha tradition down to the coast to end the summer with good sea bathing, “which was equal to 29”. In Lagos, or the beach of Manta Rota, this celebration needs swimsuits time. Already all over the coast, fishermen and celebrate processions at sea, during August and September, always thanking and asking for blessings for their dangerous labors. During the hot summer nights, the towns, the villages and towns celebrate their pilgrimage, in which tradition and modernity relate.

With a rich historical heritage, the Algarve revives and lives through the centuries, keeping in memory what he did today, celebrating always festivals that evoke the gest of the Discoveries, the brand of Arab experience and / or bright medieval times. These are the monuments of the time they need a stage of the celebrations, where the castles and the walls come alive as if they had retreated in time. In July, the “Nights of Moura Encantada” in the picturesque village of Cacela-a-Velha, Vila Real de Santo António, are recreated the Arab presence in this region in particular recalling the atmosphere of a traditional Arab market, called souk, where music, dancing, and tasting local cuisine, draw attention. In August conjures up medieval times, especially in Silves with the “Medieval Fair” while Castro Marim, lives the “Medieval Days” in September. Large parades of costumes this time, fair and tournaments, traditional games, merchants and artificies can recreate the true lesson of living history, full of color and music. Between the months of October and November, Lagos commemorates the deed of Discovery with a rich parade and fair sixteenth century, the “Festival of the Discoveries”, in which is embedded a gastronomic tour, exhibitions, guided tours to heritage, seminars, competitions and celebrations the death of Prince Henry the Navigator Infante.

In a region where so many cultures intersected and lived, the Algarve is dedicated to other kinds of artistic expressions and special celebrations, from the cinema music festivals. In the summer, this region becomes the capital of music and performing arts, with a set of national and international artists from various fields, adding also numerous folklore festivals. In the holiday season, this is celebrated with music, with the Christmas concert organized by the Algarve Tourism is undoubtedly one of the highlights of the musical scene in the south of the country. Also focusing on the creation of the Algarve Orchestra, which, throughout the year, will performing concerts at both regional and national level, the Algarve keeps your music with you throughout the year and can offer a lot of fun, great cultural, musical events and recreation.

The Handicraft, Tourism, Agriculture, Trade and Industry Lagoon presents a show of economic and cultural essence of this region, which alone attracts thousands of visitors during the last week of August. This fair is the regional crafts, traditional and contemporary where the work is performed live; weaving, copperware, wrought iron, lace, pottery and ceramics, pieces of cork, wicker and basketry to keep alive the creativity and quality of the best craftsmen. In regional gastronomic shed genuine sausages are, hams, regional sweet fig-based, almond and dried fruit, brandies and liqueurs, or tasty cheeses, always quite sought in the small taverns. Along with a program with musical performances of the best and most popular national artists, which animate the long evenings of the fair.

The Algarve also offers a good calendar of sporting events during the year attracts thousands of visitors. starting as early as January, Allbufeira welcomes Cross International events of Almond in Albufeira and Faro holds the Grand Prix of the Kings in Athletics, overnight. In February, as tradition, cycling is presented in two prestigious events, with the trophy RDP / Algarve and the Tour of the Algarve in Bicycle. Later this month, in Vilamoura welcomes proof sailing International Algarve Sailing Tournament. Already in August, tennis is protagonist with the Open de Portugal Beach Tennis and do Lobo Grand Champions Valley; joining equestrianism in the Algarve presents with major events, highlighting the Competition International Jumping in Portimão in September. In the world of motorsports in his time highlights the Baja Terras d’El Rei, in April; the World Championship in Powerboat and World Motocross in May; Baja Serra de Monchique in June; and the Algarve Casinos Rally in November. With regard to evidence of golf that mark the end of the year, with Tap Golf Tournament to be held in November and the Vilamoura Grand Golf Trophy in December.

As stated by the tradition, religious festivals celebrated in the Algarve keep the festivities in the communities where important events took place, and the biggest religious festival of the Algarve is the Sovereign Mother, in Loulé. On Easter Sunday, the image of Our Lady comes down from the Sanctuary to the Church of St. Francis, a fortnight later, follows the procession through the streets comes to climb the steep slope leading to the top of the hill. In this celebration, thousands of people who follow the litter on race pace to the Sanctuary. In São Brás de Alportel, the Feast of the Alleluia, this time includes an exclusively male procession, men present with decorated torches with flowers, making the town streets become decorated by fancy carpets of flowers and the houses engalanam, with rich quilts, to give Easter processions, a colorful time. With the arrival of summer, it starts a new cycle of celebrations related to the patron saints of each town, village and city. Gaskets land to sea, fishermen in their boats raise the statue of the Virgin, whom they worship in hopes of being protected in maritime labors, while the mountains are requested abundant crops. The holiday begins on December 8, when the “throw wheats” occurs, in which cereal seed placed in pots to make searinhas, gracing the cribs and end with the Charolas, popular singers groups of Janeiras in Twelfth Night, 6 January.

The three days of play and joy for those who live in the Algarve Carnival. In ancient times, the festivities were related to the Roman pagan festivals, which presented themselves as the rebirth of nature and the hope of favorable crops in which the Algarve is called “Carnival”, the person who was masked and was strolling through roads and paths, making noise with disguised voices and preaching matches. As for the dances of “Mascarinhas” were more playful moments of the party, as the Estudantinas a group who sang allusive blocks Carnival. Currently, the Algarve Carnival moves to the sounds of Brazilian samba schools, which does not prevent most genuine manifestations, including dances in the floor or matches. During Wednesday Ash, a very picturesque ceremony, several cities choose the King and Queen of Carnival. The battles of flowers typical of the Algarve arise in Moncarapacho, Quarteira, Loulé, Vila Real de Santo António and São Brás de Alportel, a party of three days in the towns, villages and cities are filled with music, irreverence and even a little crazy, since “the Carnival, nobody takes the wrong way.”

More and more lovers of objects with history, they join the Fair Flea, taking place throughout the Algarve, with a great opportunity and alternative for making timeless purchases. In these markets, the protagonists are the books, vinyl records, old watches, cameras, the grafonolas, old crockery and all that time can not erase. For those who seek and, later or earlier are real bargains. Ferragudo, the fair of Everything Else happens to 2 s Sundays of the month, waterfront Ferragudo; in Lagoa, the fair of Velharias due to 4ºs Sunday of the month, in the grounds of FATACIL.

Hidden in St. Joseph convent cloisters in the city of Lagoa, the show Doce Conventual is exhibited each year in the 3rd week of July. An initiative that offers and provides a proof of cakes, pastries, jams, honey, or classic drinks such as brandy arbutus, a monastic environment, where also join shows and moments of great animation, entertainment and culture.