Whether with pasta, rice or natural, the cockle is once again “king” on 8 and 9 September, at the Polidesportivo da Figueira (Portimão). In total 1,5 tons of bivalve will be made.
The 16th edition of the Berbigão Festival takes place between 19:00 and 01:00 and promises, once again, to bring thousands of people to this location in the parish of Mexilhoeira Grande, in Portimão.
This gastronomic festival bets on dishes such as cockle pasta, cockle rice, cockle porridge, cockle patties or natural cockles, all made on site. The local sweets and pastries will also be present, as well as other food and drinks. «All at very attractive prices», guarantees the Portimão Chamber.
The festival venue has a capacity for around 600 seats and around 1,5 tons of cockles will be prepared to delight more than five thousand people looking for one of the most genuine and tasty dishes of the regional cuisine.
This bivalve, traditionally cooked in a simple way, has, in this festival, other gastronomic interpretations, but always based on a little olive oil, a sprig of parsley or coriander and a clove of garlic.
Music will provide entertainment for everyone to dance. The first day includes the performance of Roberto Bernardino and the show with Ruth Marlene, while the following day, after the performance of Cláudio Rosário, the traditional music will be in charge of Fernando Correia Marques.
The Berbigão Festival will feature more than 100 volunteers, who are, for two days, "working to make each edition unforgettable and delicious", according to the Portimão Chamber.
«Every year that passes, this Festival breaks the record of entries, proving the interest on the part of those who visit it in tasting this bivalve in the most diverse ways», says the municipality.
Proof of this is the growing number of entries. The number of visitors in 2017 was 6000, in 2016 it was 5000 and in 2015 it was 4000.
Since 2002, the Cockle Festival has been held, in honor of the special place that this shellfish has in its heart, as the collection of cockles in the Ria de Alvor dates back to ancient times.
Admission costs 3.50 euros and the event is organized by Sociedade Recreativa Figueirense, with support from the Portimão Council and the Mexilhoeira Grande Parish Council.
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