Past eventThis event has already taken place. You'll find upcoming events further down.
Organized by
Câmara Municipal de Ourique
Sunday 16 August – Monday, 17 August 2026
08:30–02:00
Sunday 16 August – Monday, 17 August 2026
08:30–02:00
António Zambujo, Átoa, and Alcoolémia Bring the Festas de Santa Maria to Life
From August 13 to 16, Ourique will once again celebrate the Festas de Santa Maria, one of its most cherished popular and religious traditions. Over the course of four days, concerts, dances, bull runs, religious ceremonies, children’s activities, and street entertainment bring together the town’s residents, visitors from neighboring municipalities, and those returning home for the festivities. Admission is free.
The festivities begin on Thursday, the 13th, with the “As Vozes de um Sonho” event, from 6:00 p.m. to 2:00 a.m., at Praça d. Dinis. The event raises funds for the Ourique Children’s Choir.
On Friday, August 14, António Zambujo will perform at 10:30 p.m. A native of Beja, he is one of Portugal’s most internationally renowned singers, with a career that blends fado and Alentejo folk music with Brazilian music. At midnight, the band Alcoolémia—founded in 1992 in Amora and known for songs like “Não Sei Se Mereço”—takes the stage. DJ Rena will close out the night.
On Saturday, the 15th, Los Invictus will perform at 10:00 p.m., followed by Átoa at 11:30 p.m. The band from Évora has been active for over ten years. Paredão Baile Funk and DJ Dagô round out the night’s lineup.
Something for everyone
The religious celebration takes place on Saturday, August 15, at 6:00 p.m., at the Church of Santa Maria, with Mass followed by a procession in honor of Our Lady of the Assumption. The program also includes a bull run through the town’s streets, a moped parade, exhibitions, street markets, children’s activities, dances, choral groups, DJs, and street entertainment by Charanga das Fresquinhas.
On Sunday, the Rossio do Poço will host the Alentejo-style bullfight, the town’s sardine feast, and a dance featuring Ricardo Glória. The traditional açorda will bring the festivities to a close at 2:00 a.m.
The Ourique Festival
The Festas de Santa Maria are one of Ourique’s most cherished popular and religious traditions. It recalls the days when residents handmade the flowers that decorated the streets, the fireworks and the philharmonic bands at dawn, the village fairs, and the young men who faced off against the cows in the wooden arena set up behind City Hall. It is this history that returns to the streets of Ourique every August.
See the full program in the image below.
Sun, 15 Nov · 16:00
Animation, comedy (Forgotten Island), directed by Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado. 98 min. M6. Jo and Raissa, best friends, find a portal to the fantastic island of Nakali. The new DreamWorks animation.
Wed, 18 Nov · 10:30
Ourique Once Again Honors Commander Hélder Mendes with a Film Series An animated adventure for the youngest viewers, a look at contemporary Alentejo, and a cinematic portrait of Natália Correia. Three films, catering to different generations, make up this year’s edition of the Film Series in Honor of Hélder Mendes, organized by the Municipality of Ourique at the Sousa Telles Cinema-Theater. The first screening takes place on November 18 with “Dora: A Magical Adventure Under the Sea” (vp), a showing intended for preschoolers. On the 21st, “18 Holes to Paradise,” by João Nuno Pinto, hits the screen. The film is set on a farm in the Alentejo region affected by drought, where owners and workers experience the same reality from different perspectives. The screening is open to the public, admission is free, and Rui Pedro Tendinha will be present for a discussion following the screening. The series concludes on November 25 with “The Woman Who Died Standing,” by Rosa Coutinho Cabral, a cinematic essay on Natália Correia, her life, work, and influence on Portuguese culture. The screening is aimed at high school students. Three distinct films that, through cinema, continue the tribute to Hélder Mendes, a native of Ourique, filmmaker, cinematographer, and one of the pioneers of audiovisual media and television in Portugal.
Sat, 21 Nov · 10:00
Let's go forage for Serralhas and Pinheiro. Learn about their medicinal and edible properties and how to use them for our well-being
Sat, 21 Nov · 21:30
Ourique Once Again Honors Commander Hélder Mendes with a Film Series An animated adventure for the youngest viewers, a look at contemporary Alentejo, and a cinematic portrait of Natália Correia. Three films, catering to different generations, make up this year’s edition of the Film Series in Honor of Hélder Mendes, organized by the Municipality of Ourique at the Sousa Telles Cinema-Theater. The first screening takes place on November 18 with “Dora: A Magical Adventure Under the Sea” (vp), a showing intended for preschoolers. On the 21st, “18 Holes to Paradise,” by João Nuno Pinto, hits the screen. The film is set on a farm in the Alentejo region affected by drought, where owners and workers experience the same reality from different perspectives. The screening is open to the public, admission is free, and Rui Pedro Tendinha will be present for a discussion following the screening. The series concludes on November 25 with “The Woman Who Died Standing,” by Rosa Coutinho Cabral, a cinematic essay on Natália Correia, her life, work, and influence on Portuguese culture. The screening is aimed at high school students. Three distinct films that, through cinema, continue the tribute to Hélder Mendes, a native of Ourique, filmmaker, cinematographer, and one of the pioneers of audiovisual media and television in Portugal.