A vibrant São João festival coincided with a lightning storm on Monday night, creating unique and thrilling scenes over the city’s skies.
The night reached its peak with the launch of balloons and fireworks, accompanied by an unusual secondary star—a storm illuminating the sky with lightning amidst many clouds.
Social media users have widely shared videos and photos capturing the extraordinary event, many emphasizing the impressive effect created.
“A terrifying beauty,” commented one user.
“The intertwining of lightning, balloons, and fireworks created a unique atmosphere full of energy and beauty. Such moments are etched in the soul,” wrote another person celebrating from Arcozelo.
Every year, on the night of June 23 to 24, thousands take to the streets to celebrate the birth of Saint John the Baptist.
By around 19:00 on Monday, both banks of the Douro River were crowded with thousands of locals and tourists securing spots to witness the announced 16-minute fireworks display, an annual highlight of Porto’s festivities.
As tradition dictates, the fireworks were launched between the Luiz I and Arrábida bridges.
During the presentation of the São João celebrations, the city council announced that the budget for the pyromusical show reached an all-time high of 210,000 euros, equally funded by the municipalities of Porto and Gaia.
According to released information, the festivities represent a 780,000 euro investment for the Porto city council, with 300,000 euros allocated for programming.
The main entertainment will be spread across Largo Amor de Perdição, the gardens of Palácio de Cristal, and Casa da Música, featuring humor performances by Herman José and Tio Jel, and music by Quim Barreiros, Cláudia Pascoal, Ana Bacalhau, and Ena Pá 2000, as per the schedule.
