The right bank will host events at the Jardim da Sereia featuring Beatriz Rosário on the 9th, Eric Bonillo Plays Santana on the 11th, The Lucky Duckies on the 12th, and the Estudantina Universitária de Coimbra on the 13th, while Sé Nova will hold the Serenata dos Antigos Estudantes on the 10th.
During a press conference to present the Coimbra City Festivities, held earlier today, the Deputy Mayor, Francisco Veiga, announced that Xutos e Pontapés will perform at the Feira Popular stage located in Praça da Canção.
“Coimbra deserves iconic bands,” he emphasized in response to journalists, highlighting the need for a large turnout at the Feira Popular to cover production costs, a responsibility of the União de Freguesias de Santa Clara e Castelo Viegas, supported by the City with 50,000 euros.
Throughout his speech, the Deputy Mayor stressed that the festivities, running from July 4th to 13th, will feature activities on both banks of the city, reflecting the municipality’s desire to unite these two areas.
According to Francisco Veiga, the City Council has invested 260,000 euros in the event, covering the fees for Xutos e Pontapés and other artists, as well as festive lighting and two fireworks displays, one lasting ten minutes on July 4th and another for six minutes on July 10th.
The initiative will combine both secular and religious elements, despite this being an odd-numbered year (the processions in honor of Queen Santa Isabel occur in even years), as it marks the 400th anniversary of the canonization of the city’s patron saint and the 700th anniversary of her pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.
While the weddings of Queen Santa Isabel—an event revived in 2023—are scheduled for July 6th, the procession of penance will take place on the 10th, and the solemn procession returning to the Convent of Santa Clara-a-Nova will be on the 13th.
The event’s presentation saw the participation of the Mayor of Coimbra, José Manuel Silva, who remarked that this “will be a highlight for the city, united by the River Mondego.”
