The Bath Festival 29, a tradition in Lagos, will not take place this year, but the municipality will mark the date on social networks.
The traditional bath on the 29th of August will not take place “as a way to prevent the Covid-19 contagion and to guarantee the safety of residents and visitors to Lagos”, explains the City Council.
Despite everything, and being an initiative with a history in Lagos and an integral part of the municipality's identity, this tradition will be highlighted on the municipality's Facebook page.
In a press release, the «authority reinforces that, even without the celebration of the Bath 29, the norms and recommendations of the General Directorate of Health must be complied with for those who travel to the beaches during the day and, in this case, at night» .
A mix of folklore tradition and ritual that spans several generations, popular belief states that a bath on the night of 29 August is worth 29 baths. It is believed that, during the day, the Devil is on the loose and this nocturnal bath in the waters of Lagos served to purify the soul of those who traveled from the villages to the coast in their donkeys and carts.
Its origins are uncertain, but it is believed that it dates back to ancient rites at the end of summer or resulting from the Arab heritage of the Algarve region. The truth is that this heritage has lasted until today and it is common to see lively groups of residents, but also visitors, who keep this tradition alive year after year, not missing the opportunity to take the classic sea dive, to midnight, and that marks the high point of the event.
The Câmara de Lagos says, moreover, that it is already working on the 2021 edition.
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