7 Must-See June 2024 Festivals and Events in Porto!

As June approaches, it's time to say goodbye to spring and welcome summer. In Portugal, this month is known for its good weather, vacations, trips, popular festivals, musical events, and much more. Even though Porto has undergone significant changes in recent years, the transformation in its cultural landscape has been even more pronounced. The city has become a center of diverse cultural and artistic activities, which is reflected in the events that take place in June.

Let's start by talking about the most anticipated moments of the year - the summer festivals. Serralves em Festa celebrates Serralves as an inclusive space for contemporary art, culture, and global trends. This event is considered the largest contemporary cultural event in Portugal and one of the biggest in Europe. Hundreds of activities will take place in various spaces of the Serralves Foundation, from May 31st to June 2nd, with free admission.

Following up on the festivals, we have the famous Primavera Sound Porto (formerly known as NOS Primavera Sound), which has been considered the Portuguese counterpart to the Primavera Sound Festival taking place in Barcelona since 2001. This festival will take place in the famous Parque da Cidade from June 6th to 8th. It is known as an obligatory stop for all festival-goers on the European festival scene. More than 50 acts have been confirmed, including Lana Del Rey, The National, and PJ Harvey. Admission prices vary between €75 and €175, depending on the experience you want.

June 10th is one of the most significant holidays, known as Portugal Day or Camões Day. This day commemorates the death of the Portuguese poet Luís de Camões and celebrates the Portuguese Communities. It pays tribute to Portugal, the Portuguese people, Lusophone culture, and Portuguese influence around the world. This year, the municipalities of Pedrógão Grande, Figueiró dos Vinhos, and Castanheira de Pera, which were devastated by the 2017 fires, as well as Leiria and Coimbra, were chosen for the celebrations. Notably, this year marks the 500th anniversary of the birth of Luís de Camões, and the University of Coimbra is hosting a solemn ceremony in his honor.

As summer approaches, locals celebrate the summer solstice with the Festival de São João on June 23rd and 24th. Throughout the day and night, the streets fill with people releasing hot air balloons, attending parties, and taking part in various festivities. This is considered one of the city's most important events. 

On June 24th, a Rabelo boat race takes place along the banks of the Douro River, from Cabedelo to the Luiz I Bridge. This race celebrates the famous Port Wine, using traditional Portuguese vessels that once transported barrels of Port Wine from the vineyards on the Douro River to Vila Nova de Gaia, where the wine was stored, sold, and shipped.

During the summer, many festivals take place all over the country. Among them, the Nova Era Beach Party in Leça da Palmeira is considered the biggest beach party in Europe and takes place on June 28th. This festival will host some of the biggest names in the world dance scene, including Oliver Heldens, Vertile, Timmy Trumpet, Miss K8, Maddix, Third Party, Neelix, Olly James, Ricardo Lomar, Hardwell, Will Sparks, Radical Redemption, Virtual Riot, Curbi, Danni Gato, and Matisse & Sadko. Ticket prices vary between €12 and €119, depending on the experience you want.

To bring the month of June to a great end, why not take part in the popular São Pedro da Afurada festivity? The event takes place on June 29th and July 1st and is one of the most famous festivals in Vila Nova de Gaia. The fishermen take part in the festivities with fervor, paying homage to the saint in a grandiose way. Along with the religious ceremonies, there are grilled sardines, Broa de Avintes, and fireworks. The highlight of the festival is the start of the procession, which carries life-size images of saints, followed by the faithful dressed in traditional fishing costumes. When the procession passes in front of the Douro River, the boats are blessed, accompanied by the sound of sirens and mortars.