a show of videomapping projected on the façade of Igreja do Colégio, a Fan Zone of the Iberian Football Cup, which will bring four great players in Portuguese and Spanish football, the R10 Street Futsal event, with the Portuguese Ricardinho, the best player in the world, the first edition of Live and Loud Fest powered by Marginalia, the festivals Choque Frontal, Canção Infantil and Accordeão João César, the Parada da Portimão European City of Sport and also the Arraial Solidário. These are the events that, this summer, from July to September, will take place in the center of Portimão, to attract more people to this area of the city.
This is «a set of initiatives that are expected to bring more people to the centre», explained the mayor of Portimão, during the press conference to introduce the program, which took place at the «Porta Velha» restaurant, precisely in the old core of the city.
"We are investing in entertainment in the city center to bring more people, more entertainment and more business," added Isilda Gomes. However, warned the mayor, «the Chamber, by itself, cannot do everything, we have to have the merchants and other businessmen on our side. Everyone has to do their share. If entrepreneurs do not modernize, this type of initiative will be of little use”.
Álvaro Bila, president of the Parish Council of Portimão, in turn, expressed the commitment of the municipality so that «the center takes on a life of its own and is more attractive, that the stores are always open».
The schedule from July to September, promoted by the City Council and the Parish Council of Portimão, will cost a total of 120 thousand euros, of which 90 thousand are provided by the municipality. But there are events in which the Chamber only provides logistical support or which are paid for by other entities, such as the Copa Ibérica Fan Zone, provided by the Portuguese and Spanish Football Leagues.
The first event is the Festival Choque Frontal, on the 13th of July, at 21 pm, at Praça da República (Alameda). Ricardo Coelho, from Rádio Alvor, organizer of this festival, explained that the live concert will feature the «new local band» The Black Teddys, as well as Nannok and Nanabey. "This year we won't have foreign names," he added.
From the 18th to the 21st of July, Praça 1º de Maio, in front of the City Hall, will be transformed into a Fan Zone for fans who come to watch the games of the Iberian Football Cup, which will bring two great Portuguese clubs (FC Porto) to Portimão. and Portimonense) and two great Spaniards (Getafe and Betis de Seville). There will be installed a mini football stadium, human football and more activities. Well-known football figures will also pass through there, in what will be, throughout that weekend, “a big party”.
the show of videomapping, whose theme is Portimão European City of Sport, is, according to Pedro Littlechinho, from the Portimão Council, the “great news” of the entire programme. It will be projected on the façade of Igreja do Colégio, in Alameda. The authors are the same as the CED's opening ceremony and the show that can be seen in the ruins of Convento do Carmo, in Lisbon. The scheduled dates are July 19th and 20th, as well as August 16th and 17th, always at 21 pm and with free entry.
At the end of this month, on the 27th (21:30 pm), it will be the turn of Alameda da Praça da República to receive another edition of the already "traditional" Children's Song Festival "Chaminé d'Ouro", organized by the Parish Council of Portimão.
On the 27th of July and 31st of August, at 10:00 am, «as always at the end of each month», since the beginning of the European City of Sports, the Parade will take place, «with the clubs and entertainment», which will parade through the streets of city center to the Municipal Market.
Alameda is also the place chosen for another Arraial Solidário, on the weekend of August 3rd and 4th, between 19 pm and 00 am, organized by Cáritas Paroquial da Matriz de Portimão. «Lots of joy, good mood, music, food and drinks» are the promises.
For the 24th of August, the João César Accordion Festival is scheduled, another initiative of the Parish Council. It will be at 21:30 pm, at Alameda, with the presence of some renowned names linked to the accordion.
Another "novelty" arrives on the 28th and 29th of August (22:00 pm), again at Alameda da Praça da República. In an organization of the charismatic bar “Marginália”, in the center of Portimão, will take place the 1st Live and Loud Fest. Paulo César, from Marginália, announced that, on the first day, the show will be a «tribute to the 80s, with The Knight Riders, a local band», while on the 29th, One Vision, «one of the best known groups of tribute to the Queen».
To close all this intense program in the city center, the same Alameda hosts, from 4 to 8 September, the «R10 Street Futsal», the premiere in Portugal of the biggest street event dedicated to that sport, which will even have the presence of Portuguese Ricardinho, the best player in the world. Futsal and street football lovers will be able to participate, as all teams will be able to register. There will also be “spaces for families, with benches around the field”.
As noted by mayor Isilda Gomes, futsal will be in evidence in a year in which Sporting became European champion of the sport, after the national team was also European champion last year, and when Portimonense rose to the I League .
But the press conference to launch the summer program in the city center also served to announce that Portimão will have, as of this week, electric scooters. João Silva, from Circ, announced that next Wednesday, July 10th, at noon, at Praça Manuel Teixeira Gomes, the inaugural tour will take place. “Because it is shared, it is a means of transport used by many and so we hope it will bring more people to the city centre,” he explained.
The occasion was also used to present the godparents of the three sweets from Portimo – Morgado, Doce Fino and Queijo de Figo – which are regional finalists of the 7 Wonders of Sweets. But the details will remain for another article.
Photos: Elisabete Rodrigues | Sul Informação
Comments