In the year of the biggest Antonine Festivities ever, the small marchers cannot be missing. On June 9, over 1500 children from Famalicão will parade through the streets of the city, showing their talent and skills in a version of the Famalicão Marches.
The parade leaves 25 de Abril Avenue, at 14h30, with more than 1500 children from 23 educational institutions of Vila Nova de Famalicão who will parade through the streets of the city, animating the urban centre using clothes and props inspired by this year's theme: 'Saint Anthony, Our Patron'.
The parade goes through Rua Adriano Pinto Basto, Rua de Santo António, Praça 9 de Abril, Rua Júlio Araújo, returns to Avenida 25 de Abril and ends at Parque 1º de Maio, where the choreographies performed by the little marchers will take place.
Besides the participation support given to all the educational institutions involved, a jury will also award the prizes 'Best Costume and Bows', worth 300 euros, 'Best March', worth 200 euros, and the prize 'Grand Winner of the Children's Antonine Marches', worth 500 euros.
Participating at this moment are the ACB Kindergarten and Kindergarten, the Generations Association, the Lameiras Residents' Association, the ATA - ACO Workers' Association, the Social and Cultural Centre Dr. Nuno Simões, the Luís de Camões School Centre, the Social Centre of the Parish of Landim, the Social Centre of Calendário, the Social Centre of Education - Sol Nascente, the Brufe Kindergarten, the Talvaizinho College, the D. Elzira Cupertino Miranda Nursery and Kindergarten. Elzira Cupertino Miranda nursery school and kindergarten, Guia nursery school, Engenho Association, Casa do Pessoal do Hospital Distrital de Vila Nova de Famalicão, Mais Plural, Association of Parents of the EB/JI of Avidos and Lagoa, Kindergarten of Nossa Senhora da Lapa of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia of Famalicão, Quintão Elementary School, S. José Institute, Júlio Brandão Nursery School, São Miguel-o-Anjo Elementary School no. 1 and ATL/Elementary School no. 1 of Vale São Martinho.
It is worth recollecting that the Antoninas de Famalicão will take place in Vila Nova de Famalicão from June 7th to 13th, with a vast programme composed by almost forty activities spread throughout seven days blessed by Saint Anthony, with initiatives for all tastes and ages, thinking not only in the famalicenses, but also in the many thousands of people that visit the city at this time. Xutos & Pontapés, the Brazilian Maninho and the Portuguese rapper T-Rex are some of the names that will liven up the great festivities of the famalicense municipality, which promise to do justice to the recent classification as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Portugal.