Vila Nova de Famalicão will be transformed into an authentic open-air garden from Friday 8 May with another edition of the Flower Festival. This year's highlights include the free concert by young singer Carolina de Deus on May 11 and the colourful and joyful Battle of Flowers parade on Sunday 12.
The main novelty of this year's event will be the concert by the artist Carolina de Deus, known for songs such as "Talvez...", "Dores de Crescimento" and "Seria Estúpido Ligar-te", at 10pm in Praça D. Maria II.
On Sunday 12th, at 3.30pm, the highlight is the colourful costumes, elaborate props and decorated cars that embellish the Batalha das Flores parade, which this year sees the participation of 26 famalicense collectivities. The parade starts at Rua Manuel Pinto de Sousa, passes through Rua Adriano Pinto Basto, Alameda D. Maria II and Rua Lourenço da Silva Oliveira, and ends at the D. Sancho I roundabout.
The cultural programme associated with the Flower Festival also includes, on Friday, concerts by Folk5 (18h30), the Academia da Fundação Real Colégio de Landim - with tenor Carlos Ferreira - (21h00) and Magina Pedro and the Fado Group 1111 - Canção de Coimbra (22h00); on Saturday, a performance by Ivo Arantes & Ensemble Egas Moniz (21h00); and, on Sunday, the musical theatre "A Fada Oriana no Jardim Encantado da Menina do Mar", by O Som do Algodão (10h00) and a concert by the Banda Marcial de Arnoso (17h30). All this takes place on the stage in Praceta Cupertino de Miranda.
Also of note is the area dedicated to the flower and plant trade at the north end of Praça D. Maria II (Praceta Cupertino de Miranda), which will be open on Friday and Saturday from 10am to midnight and on Sunday from 10am to 8pm, with flower and plant exhibitors and sellers, as well as the local products fair (10am to 10pm) and taverns (10am to midnight), open from Friday to Sunday.
During these days, the city's main streets will be decorated with floral ornaments made by more than two dozen cultural organisations and flower-growing companies from the municipality of Famalicense.
It should also be noted that, as part of the Flower Festival, the exhibition "The Art of Embroidering the Flower", designed and staged by Novo Rumo, the Vila Nova de Famalicão Teachers' Association, will be on show until 16 May at the Bernardino Machado Museum.
Earlier, on Wednesday 8th May, the traditional Fair of Exchanges (Feira Grande de Maio) will be held on the grounds of the Weekly Fair.
The full programme for the Famalicão Flower Festival can be found at www.famalicao.pt . All events are free.