In Vila Nova de Famalicão, June smells of basil, grilled sardines, farturas (strip of fried dough) and cotton candy. The sixth month of the calendar arrives to the rhythm of a good dance, to the sound of popular music, the preaching of the Marches and the laughter of a people who live with joy, pride and intensity what are the biggest festivities in the municipality.
The Antoninas Festivities animate Famalicão from 7 to 13 June.
Tony Carreira on the 9th, Buba Espinho on the 13th, Wet Bed Gang on the 7th and Sons do Minho on the 8th are some of the names on the musical bill for Famalicão's festivities, classified as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Portugal.
There are almost forty activities, spread over seven intense days of festivities blessed by the patron saint of the municipality - Saint Anthony - with countless proposals for all tastes and ages, with the people of Famalicense in mind, but also the many thousands of people who visit the city at this time.
One of the highlights of the Antoninas Festivities - the grand parade of the Marches - is scheduled for the evening of 12 June, the eve of the municipal holiday. The centenary of the Chapel of Santo António (inaugurated on 13 June 1924) sets the tone for this year's parade, which will take to the streets at 9.15pm with the participation of 10 local associations: Associação Recreativa e Cultural Flor do Monte, Associação Coração Vale S. Cosme, Associação Cultural e Desportiva S. Martinho de Brufe, ARCA - Associação Recreativa e Cultural de Antas, Associação Unidos de Avidos, Associação Cultural Recreativa S. Pedro de Riba D'Ave, Associação Sentir a Terra - União Gondifelos, Cavalões e Outiz, Comissão de Festas Divino Salvador de Ruivães, LACS - Associação Cultural S. Salvador da Lagoa and the debut of the Associação Humanitária dos Bombeiros Voluntários Famalicenses.
As for the entertainment programme for the Antonine Festivities, the highlights include another Cavaquinhos Meeting on the 8th, the Camiliana Walk, the "Tocá Bombar" parade, the Ethnographic Parade and the Folklore Festival on the 10th, the afternoon of Popular Music in the Square on the 9th, the performance of the Myllenium Band on the 11th and the pyromusical session on the closing day, among other moments.
The municipality will once again call on young people to dance at the Antonine Festivities with the "Toninho's" night on 7 June.
Also noteworthy is the religious aspect of the Festivities, on the municipal holiday of 13 June, with the procession in honour of Saint Anthony making its way through the main streets of the town. Before this, in the morning, Mass and the distribution of bread will take place, fulfilling a centuries-old tradition.
The Antoninas will also call on the people of Famalicão to take part in sporting activities, in particular the Bernardino Machado Athletics Grand Prix on Sunday 9th and the 8th Most Crazy Downhill, organised by ARCA.
The little ones have the honour of opening the festivities, with all the tenderness and creativity of the Children's Marches. With their bows perched and their hips swinging, the children parade through the city on Friday 7 June.
It's worth remembering that the Antoninas Festivities of Famalicão are included in the National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage (INPCI), as a result of a process that began in 2015 with the municipality of Vila Nova de Famalicão joining the regional 'Romarias do Minho' project.
Full programme and all the information about the Antoninas Festivities at www.famalicao.pt.