The search for the «essence of tradition» of the people of Serra do Caldeirão continues next weekend in São Brás de Alportel, in another edition of the Feira da Serra de Verão, which will run from 26 to 28 July, at school EB 2/3 Poet Bernardo de Passos.
The outstanding product from the mountains will be almonds, which, in addition to its numerous gastronomic potential, are also a dry fruit with excellent nutritional properties and good for health.
With this special guest, the Algarve's regional sweets will certainly be highlighted, very much based on almonds.
In 2013, despite the crisis, all the elements that have been giving projection to this fair (and a few more) will be present. Entertainment, gastronomy, handicrafts and local products, born from what the mountains offer, continue to be the base of the party.
For councilwoman Marlene Guerreiro, the event is «increasingly what São Brasenses want it to be», which leads to the creation of more partnerships from year to year.
«More and more young people and companies are coming to us, wanting to participate. The entire community lives this fair as a moment to showcase the best of Serra. In the volunteer program alone, more than 30 young people are involved», illustrated the mayor, in the presentation of the event, which took place last week.
One of the great innovations is the renovation of Praça do Município, the central area of the Fair, which will feature a renovated São Brás Chamber stand very much focused on tourist promotion. At the same time, a “lounge” space for leisure and well-being will be created in this area, which is being prepared in partnership with the Southern Designers Association.
The equestrian component of the event will also be reinforced, with the arena area "hosting various shows", without forgetting the touring activities for the younger ones, which are already a tradition. «On Saturday (July 27), at 20 pm, there is an ethnographic parade, with horses», announced the vice-president of the municipality Vítor Guerreiro.
"We will also invest heavily in the children's entertainment space, a closed space where the youngest can stay, supervised and carry out various activities," he said. Meanwhile, the rest of the family can focus on how much the fair has to offer.
And there's a lot to do. From the flavor meeting area, where there will be "five restaurants and two taverns", to Aldeia Serrana, where you can buy typical products and handicrafts, through the Encontro dos Ofícios space, where you can discover "ancestral knowledge", there is no lack of activities at the Feira da Serra.
For those who can't do without entertainment, the organization has set up a program that will feature Marco Paulo (Sunday, 28th), the comic Francisco Menezes (Saturday) and the band “Irmãos Verdade” (Friday).
On Saturday, there is also São Brás Fashion, a 100 percent São Brasense fashion show, where young locals will parade with clothes from São Brás stores, or with pieces by designer Lisá Tamiris.
There will also be lots of traditional music and local groups on stage and dances on Friday and Saturday, late into the night.
Almond, Lara Project and Cittaslow with a stand at Feira da Serra
“Anyone who eats five almonds a day does not commit excesses, feels fit and is helping the local economy”, illustrated the director of the Pedagogical Farm at Peral Cristina Medeiros.
Almond, a product that has a long tradition in the Algarve and which has been the center of the region's export activity for a long time, is highlighted at the Serra de São Brás Fair in 2013. Good news for those who appreciate delicacies made from this of this dried fruit, which will be abundant in the main annual event of the Sambrasenses.
Also in focus will be the Lara project, created to respond to the social problems that resulted from the fires that devastated half of the municipality's territory a year ago. The presentation of Feira da Serra, on the 19th, coincided with the anniversary of the tragedy, something that was remembered by the São Brasense municipal executive.
The wounds are starting to heal, but there is still a lot to be done. To help make this happen faster, the City Council of São Brás, which organizes the event, will apply "25 percent of revenue directly to preventing forest fires."
Also new is the existence of a stand of the Cittaslow movement, to which São Brás de Alportel belongs. The Algarve council was instrumental in creating the Portuguese association of Cittaslow, which is even presided over by the president of the São Brasense autarchy, António Eusébio.
In conclusion, António Eusébio stressed that Feira da Serra is «an investment that aims to put São Brás on the map» and that, although «it doesn't exactly make a profit», it generates gains of a different nature. At the end, a word to the municipality's employees, who guarantee that the event will be held “almost in its entirety”.
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