The Passeio das Dunas, in Quarteira, will be the stage, for the first time, of the Popular Marches parade, which returns to the city on the 12th, 23rd and 28th of June.
"Since 2019, this event has not been held and, as such, this year, expectations are enormous, not only due to the prolonged interregnum caused by the pandemic, but due to the great novelty that constitutes the new venue", says the municipality in a note.
After several years marching on the “Calçadão”, this time the Passeio das Dunas, the extension of this marginal promenade towards Vilamoura, opened in 2016, will also be the setting for this parade.
Both the Parish Council of Quarteira and the Municipality of Loulé believe that this change will provide better conditions for both marchers and visitors «who, with each passing year, attend the parade in greater numbers».
Thus, the space will receive the seven marches that participate this year and that will be in the new “santódromo” in the three nights: As Florinhas de Quarteira, Rua da Cabine, Rua Gago Coutinho, Rua Poeta Pardal, Fundação António Aleixo, Rua Vasco da Gama and Rua do Outeiro.
The high point of the celebrations is the parade of the marches that represent the streets of the city, involving hundreds of marchers dressed in
rigor, with unique choreographies inspired by themes such as the sea, fishing, the traditions of the Popular Saints and the symbols associated with this festivity – the arches, basil, bonfires, balloons, artichokes or leeks.
In addition to the parade, there will be no shortage of gastronomic options (such as grilled sardines, febras, bread with chorizo, green broth and red wine) and the traditions of jumping over a bonfire and burning artichokes.
Stingrays will be another attraction to celebrate the lives of the three holy miracle workers. There are three streets where these popular festivals will take place, with lots of music and dancers animated by popular artists: Rua Vasco da Gama (with Duo Rui and Miguel, on the 9th of June, Valter Cabrita, on the 10th, Paulo Coelho, on the 16th, and Helder Pires, at 17), Rua da Cabine (with Valter Cabrita, at 23 and Duo Rui and Miguel, at 24) and Rua da Alegria (with Migue G, at 12, and Luís José, at 28). These camps take place between 19:00 and 00:00.
Another tradition will be the sale of manjericos, at Largo do Centro Autárquico, on the 13th, 23rd and 28th of June, from 9 am to 30 pm and from 13 pm to 00 pm, at Largo do Centro Autárquico.
The organization of the event, which has free entry, is by APROMAR, the Association for the Promotion of Popular Marches, which has the support of the Municipality of Loulé and the Parish Council of Quarteira.
In a note, the Câmara de Loulé recalls that before the marches as we know them today, the Popular Saints festivities were part of the fairs, bonfires, dances and baths on the night of S. João that normally took place in Quarteira due to its proximity to the sea. To the
In the 70's of the XNUMXth century, the celebration boiled down to the celebrations of St. John with the “mast dances” around the city and the “holy bath” at midnight.
«Father Elísio Dias, appointed parish priest of Quarteira in 1968, was responsible for creating the Popular Marches, which saw a greater increase from the 90s onwards. to officially organize the event», explains Loulé's local authority.
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