The organization has announced the festival lineup, which includes João Frade & João Silva, Sandra Martins, and Marta Pereira da Costa.
“One of the central elements of the festival is the Community Stage – Instruments of the Land, a project that involves dozens of local participants in workshops and performances over four days, sharing the stage with guest artists,” it added.
With free entry, the festival aims to highlight instrumental musical creation in Portugal, promoting the meeting between established and emerging artists and actively involving the local community.
The program includes outdoor concerts in various village locations, jam sessions, community workshops, and the Falar Instrumental conference series, which will address topics such as European funding, music publishing, and new digital strategies.
The Instrumental Portugal Festival is co-produced by the Póvoa de Lanhoso City Council and Portugal Music 360, and from its first edition, it seeks to establish itself as an accessible, inclusive, multi-genre event that is “deeply” connected to the region.
According to the Mayor, Frederico Castro, this is a “disruptive” initiative, positioning itself as “the first instrumental festival in Portugal.”
The mayor emphasized the festival’s goal to “involve the community” of the municipality, “making them feel part” of the performances.
The Instruments of the Land project is described as “the community heart” of the festival.
Coordinated by Mário Gonçalves, the project involves local percussion, string, concertina, and wind instrument groups from philharmonic bands of the municipality.
Participation spans the entire festival, with performances distributed over the four days and a final presentation at Praça Engenheiro Armando Rodrigues.
The project includes traditional percussion workshops and a program of weekly open rehearsals for the community.
“More than just a moment, this project promotes encounters and collaboration between local talent and guest artists, resulting in a lively, intergenerational, and unique sharing between tradition and contemporary creation,” the organization stated.
