More than 80 artists, bands, and projects will perform at this year’s festival, which will take place over four days, from September 4 to 7, instead of the usual three. This extension is the “big novelty of this edition,” according to Vasco Sacramento, director of the promoter Sons em Trânsito, who spoke in Lisbon.
“The extra day [which falls on a Sunday and coincides with a local holiday in Faro] allows us to further expand the range of offerings we can include in the festival, provide an even more diversified program, and present the most comprehensive overview of Portuguese music ever,” stated the promoter during the festival’s lineup presentation.
Marking its 10th edition, the organizers have decided to “review previous editions,” featuring artists with memorable past performances at F, such as Diogo Piçarra, Pedro Abrunhosa, and the celebration Revenge of the 90’s, which significantly impacted two previous editions.”
The festival will also feature debut performances from artists like Os Quatro e Meia and Luís Represas, which for Vasco Sacramento, represents “another demonstration of the vitality that Portuguese music has achieved.”
“We also have artists who performed on smaller stages in previous years and are now promoted to the Sagres stage, our main stage. This includes Mizzy Miles, Sara Correia, and Bispo. It fulfills, in some way, a mission of the festival,” he noted.
On the final day, September 7, the program will start earlier and will be especially dedicated to young audiences, a first for the festival.
“F is very much a family festival, and we believe it will be a success with shows from Nina Toc Toc, Chinfrim, a project by Rita Redshoes, Caju e Bambu, and storytelling sessions,” he stated.
The Vice-President of Faro City Council, which co-organizes the festival, also highlights the extra day, “with more affordable ticket pricing and a lineup aimed at everyone, including families.”
Paulo Santos also points out a new feature this year: a mobile app with a gamification component offering a personalized festival experience.
The inaugural Festival F took place in 2014 over two days and has since expanded in duration, audience, and the area it covers in the city.
“We initially occupied about one-third of Vila Adentro, the historic center of Faro. Over the years, we have grown, now encompassing all of Vila Adentro and beyond. The main stage has moved outside the walls, as it was the only way to meet increasing demand,” recalled Vasco Sacramento.
Initially accommodating around 5,000 people per day, the venue can now host approximately 24,000 attendees.
“We have been fortunate to experience an era with a lot of national, diverse, and high-quality production, attracting an increasing audience. We now host more and more shows by Portuguese artists throughout the year, filling even the country’s largest venue, the MEO Arena. Portuguese music is thriving, and F is a consequence of that,” mentioned Vasco Sacramento.
While the festival’s audience predominantly comes from the Algarve and Alentejo regions, the number of attendees from other parts of the country, notably Lisbon, Setúbal, and Vale do Tejo, is also increasing, along with some visitors from Andalusia, the Spanish region bordering the Algarve.
“Ticket sales locations help monitor the audience origin, though it’s sometimes challenging to capture the complete picture since the festival coincides with vacation time. Many tickets bought in the Algarve are by vacationers,” he indicated.
This year, festival-goers can enjoy performances from artists and bands including Bárbara Bandeira, Ana Moura, Dino D’Santiago with the Orquestra do Algarve, Julinho KSD, Nenny, Buba Espinho, Mundo Segundo & Sam The Kid, Ana Bacalhau, Bateu Matou, Margarida Campelo, Amaura, Pedro da Linha, Cassete Pirata, Tara Perdida, Lena D’Água, Maria Reis, Scúru Fitchádu, and Napa, among others.
Tickets for the festival are already on sale.
A pre-sale period runs until July 31, limited to 1,000 daily tickets and 1,000 four-day passes. Daily tickets are priced at 20 euros for September 4, 5, and 6, and eight euros for September 7. The passes cost 50 euros.
After July 31, daily tickets will cost 22 euros for September 4, 5, and 6, and ten euros for September 7. The general pass will be priced at 60 euros thereafter.
Children up to 12 years old, inclusive, do not require a ticket.
