“People of the tillage” is the theme of the Antonine Marches of 2023, which take place on the eve of Saint Anthony’s Day, June 13, on the big night of the Antonine Festivities of Famalicão. Eight marches are already in rehearsals and preparations to make shine one of the largest pilgrimages in northern Portugal. Yesterday was held the draw that defined the order of the performances, which will open with the Fraternity Nun'Alvares, Vale S. Cosme, one of the firsts of the year, looking at the people of the farm side of The Harvest.
In addition to Vale S. Come, they will also march on the night of June 12, the Casa do Povo de Ruivães, the LACS - Associação Cultural S. Salvador da Lagoa, the União de Freguesias de Gondifelos, Cavalões e Outiz (Associação Team Baia), the Associação Recreativa e Cultural de Antas, the Associação Cultural e Desportiva de S. Martinho de Brufe, the Associação Recreativa e Cultural Flor do Monte – Carreira and the Associação Cultural e Recreativa S. Pedro de Riba D’Ave.
The Antonine Festivities of Famalicão will take place from 7 to 13 June 2023, and will be seven intense days of celebration blessed by Saint Anthony, marked by numerous cultural and sporting proposals, that meet the various generations of families and the many thousands of people who visit the city at this time.
It is recalled that the Antonine Festivities were recently inscribed in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage (INPCI), as a result of a process started in 2015 with the accession of the Municipality of Vila Nova de Famalicão to the regional project 'Romarias do Minho', launched by the Association of Festivals of São João de Braga, which brought together more than two dozen municipalities of Minho, in order to ensure the authenticity and typicality of the popular festivals of this region.