Vila Nova de Famalicão is preparing for days of non-stop revelry, with the official start of the carnival celebrations scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, 13 February. The kick-off takes place with the traditional Children's Carnival Parade, which promises to fill the Municipal Pavilion with colour, starting at 2 pm, with hundreds of young revellers from various schools in the municipality showing off their creative costumes.
This moment marks the beginning of a diverse programme that runs until Shrove Tuesday, with the municipality investing in a celebration that, in the words of the Mayor, Mário Passos, ‘draws its strength from spontaneity’. The mayor will accompany the children at 2.30 pm and will be present at the Senior Carnival on Monday, 16th, starting at 3 pm, an initiative that once again brings the joy of social institutions to the Municipal Pavilion.
However, all eyes are on the big Carnival Night, when thousands of people spontaneously gather in the city streets in a unique party atmosphere that lasts until dawn. The entertainment will be spread across four main stages — Rua Luís Barroso, Praça 9 de Abril, Praça D. Maria II and Mercado Municipal — and will also include the traditional masked ball competition.
To ensure that everyone can participate safely and comfortably, the local authority is providing free bus transport throughout the municipality during the night, while also maintaining its partnership with CP – Comboios de Portugal, which is offering promotional tickets on urban trains, valid only for advance purchases, until 14 February.
The festivities officially end on Tuesday, 17 February, with the traditional Queima dos Galheiros in Fradelos, reaffirming Famalicão Carnival as an event for everyone, where fun and joy are the only requirements for entry.
