At least 17 music festivals are taking place all over the country this weekend, to suit all musical tastes and wallets.
One of the oldest Portuguese music festivals kicks off today near Meco beach, in the municipality of Sesimbra. The 28th edition of Super Bock Super Rock (SBSR) runs until Saturday, with a line-up that ranges from rock to hip-hop.
The live debut in Portugal of the Italians Måneskin and the American rapper 21 Savage and the return to the stage of the Portuguese Mind Da Gap are among the highlights of this edition, whose line-up also includes the British rapper Stormzy, the Americans Vulfpeck, Aminé and Tom Morello (winner of the 2024 Woody Guthrie Prize), and the Portuguese Capitão Fausto, Slow J and New Max, among others.
On Friday, further north, in Vila Nova de Gaia, the Marés Vivas festival begins, where foreign bands and artists such as Take That, James Arthur, Snow Patrol and Ben Harper will perform until Sunday, as well as Portuguese artists such as António Zambujo, Ornatos Violeta, D’ZRT, Marisa Liz and Mundo Segundo with guests.
Not far away, in Amarante, Mimo takes place between Friday and Sunday, five years after the last edition in that city.
The festival, which is free to enter, features a line-up more focused on world music, including Brazilian rapper Marcelo D2, Portuguese singer Dino D’Santiago, Malian singer and guitarist Fatoumata Diawara and Nigerian musician Femi Kuti, who will be performing with The Positive Force.
World music is also the focus of the Musicas do Mundo Festival, which takes place in Sines and Porto Covo, in the Alentejo, from Saturday until July 27.
Among the artists invited to Porto Covo (20 to 22) and Sines (23 to 27) are singer and current Brazilian Minister of Culture Margareth Menezes (who performs on the 24th), Brazilian singer-songwriter Ana Frango Elétrico, Portuguese artists Cara de Espelho, JP Simões (singing José Mário Branco), Prétu (a project by rapper Xullaji) and Salvador Sobral, Cape Verdeans Ferro Gaita and Mayra Andrade and Mozambicans Moticoma.
On Friday, Cascais hosts the third day of this year’s CoolJazz festival, which will be held throughout July at the Manuel Possolo Racecourse and the Marechal Carmona Park.
The third day of the festival is entirely dedicated to Portuguese music, with the main stage hosting Dino D’Santiago and Maro, and the second stage Rogério Pitomba Trio and a DJ set by Progressivu.
CoolJazz also has DJ sets on Sundays in the gardens of the Museu das Histórias, with free entry. This Sunday, the music will be provided by broadcaster Vanda Miranda.
In the Lisbon Metropolitan Area, the Festival do Maio is also taking place in Seixal.
On Friday and Saturday, French singer Manu Chao, Spanish band Eskorzo, Brazilian rapper Marcelo D2 and Portuguese musician Eu.Clides will perform to remind us that singing is a weapon.
On the same days, what is considered Madeira’s biggest music festival, Summer Opening, takes place.
The second weekend of the 10th edition of the festival, which takes place in Funchal, features Da Weasel, Veigh, Ivandro, Julinho KSD, Zarco and Beatbombers, Noia, GMO, Marlokov, Milky Chance, Van Zee, Pedro Mafama, Maya Blandy and Nuno Lopes, Zen Baboon, Jay Camara and Vitor Batista.
Also on Friday and Saturday, in Mora, in the district of Évora, the Sons do Rio Festival will take place, featuring Carlos Maria Trindade, Luísa Sobral and Buba Espinho.
Also in the Alentejo, in Évora, the second stage of the EA Live festival begins today. Until Saturday, in the vineyards of Adega Cartuxa, in Quinta de Valbom, Miguel Araújo, with special guest António Zambujo, Mariza and GNR, will perform.
Further north, in Vila Nova de Famalicão, the 9th edition of the Laurus Nobilis festival takes place.
Between Friday and Sunday, the parish of Louro will host international metal acts such as Poland’s Vader, Finland’s Wolfheart and Bloody Falls, Greece’s Septicflesh and Italy’s Hideous Divinity, as well as a large national contingent, led by Moonspell and locals Godiva.
Not far away, at Barragem de Penide, in Barcelos, the 1st edition of the Gate 13 Festival, dedicated to electronic music, will be held on Friday and Saturday, featuring names such as Øtta, Natia, Luciid, Sita Abellan and CLTX.
Further south, between Friday and Sunday, the Ti Milha festival takes place on Ilha, in the municipality of Pombal, district of Leiria, with a line-up that includes Branko, Fogo Fogo and Scúru Fitchádu.
Still in the center of the country, but a little further north, Praia de Quiaios, in Figueira da Foz, is hosting the Woodrock Festival between today and Saturday, with a line-up featuring bands such as Maquina, Them Flying Monkeys, Lúcifer, Weedeater and Sinoptik.
Also in the center, this weekend sees the end of the 12th edition of “Que Jazz é este?” in Viseu, which began on June 30.
On the stages of Aquilino Ribeiro Park, the Viriato Theatre, the Grão Vasco National Museum, Casa do Miradouro and Carmo 81 on Saturday and Sunday, Mäe Defays, the Nils Berg Cinemascope project, Sara Serpa and André Matos, who performs as a quartet with John O’Gallagher and João Pereira, Luís Vicente Trio, Ilda and the Axes project, by composer and saxophonist João Mortágua.
Continuing with jazz music, the Palácio de Cristal Gardens in Porto are hosting the 14th edition of Porta-Jazz ao Relento between today and Sunday, with performances by the quartet of bassist Nuno Campos, guitarist Mané Fernades, the Axes project and the Godua quartet. The shows are free.
The 15th Artes Quebra Jazz festival is taking place in Coimbra, and from today until this weekend it will feature performances by Mário Laginha and Pedro Burmester, Mano a Mano (André and Bruno Santos) and Marta Pereira da Costa with António Fonseca.