By 10:00 PM, the venue was nearly full – the organizers had offered 20,000 free passes for the two-day festival – to hear the headline act of the night: José Pinhal – Post Mortem Experience, who took the stage at Febras around 10:10 PM. “Thank you very much Briteiros, thank you very much Rock NO Rio Febras,” were the first words of the tribute band’s vocalist.
The small music festival, held on the banks of the Rio Febras in Guimarães, Braga district, gained national attention in 2023 after Rock in Rio Lisboa demanded a name change from the then Rock in Rio Febras, citing trademark infringement and unfair competition, leading to the new designation as Rock NO Rio Febras.
“During the second edition, the controversy with Rock in Rio Lisboa propelled us. We became known both nationally and internationally. But during that edition, we could only allow 5,000 entries because the venue couldn’t accommodate more,” explained Vasco Matos, one of the festival’s promoters and president of the Casa do Povo de Briteiros.
This growth of the festival, which retains the social character of the first edition as proceeds go to the local Casa do Povo, led the organizers to seek a larger venue, but still by the banks of the Rio Febras.
“We felt the need to move to this new location last year. This year we expanded, enlarging the venue and extending the festival across two days. We now have a motorhome park and a campsite, which are in different areas. This is a massive leap compared to previous editions, especially the first when it was just a local gathering for about 300 people,” recalls Vasco Matos.
In part of the venue, on dirt ground shaded by trees, there is a section with dozens of wooden tables for eating and drinking. Various well-known brand stands are on display, alongside numerous beverage stalls, and even a hairdresser and tattoo studios.
This year, the organization provided 20,000 passes, valid for both days, which have been “completely sold out” for weeks, despite strong demand, particularly in the past two weeks.
“We’ve looked at the registrations for the caravan park, and we have motorhomes coming from all over the country. People are coming from every district in Portugal. This is interesting because people now see Febras as an established festival, part of the national festival circuit, and we want to be part of that and grow in that direction,” revealed Vasco Matos.
According to the president of the Casa do Povo de Briteiros, the space “has potential to grow,” but this year, the conditions to safely and adequately accommodate festival-goers “only” allowed for 20,000 entries.
“There’s a large emigrant community that comes here for these two days, planning vacations around the date of Rock NO Rio Febras. People are coming from abroad; we have people telling us friends are coming from Switzerland, England, Sweden, Ireland, and England. It’s incredible,” says Vasco Matos, expressing pride in the journey over the last four years.
The “engine” of Febras relies on volunteers who offer to work before, during, and after the festival. About 200 volunteers are working today, with many released by their employers to help at Febras.
“This is the most amazing part of this festival. Entry remains free, and food and drink prices remain perfectly accessible. Everyone working at Febras is part of our community, people completely selfless,” states Vasco Matos.
