The almond trees are already “coming together” and are being decorated with flowers, the trails are prepared to accommodate walks and all the logistics necessary to receive thousands of people are already being taken care of, in Alta Mora, the nerve center of yet another Almond Tree Festival in Flor do Algarve, which will take place on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th of February, in this location in the interior of the municipality of Castro Marim.
This year, there are new features in the gastronomic component, including an increase in taverns, but also an even more gigantic almond pie.
«One of the new features of this 3rd edition of the festival is that we will have more restaurant spaces and more gastronomic variety», he revealed to Sul Informação Valter Matias, president of the Recreational, Cultural and Sports Association of Friends of Alta Mora, which organizes the event.
The member of the organization also highlights «the giant almond pie, which this year will “grow” to 42 meters, one meter more than last year» and «the special participation of chef Francisco Siopa, from Penha Longa Resort».
According to the event's organizers, «some surprises are in store» regarding Francisco Siopa's participation, «but he will certainly be paying attention to the almond pie, as well as the region's gastronomic traditions, based on the Mediterranean Diet and shared with visitors throughout the three days".
Almonds and local products will, moreover, be the central elements of the showcooking which will be promoted at the festival.
This aspect of the festival is a complement to the main attraction, which is the walks around the area surrounding the village of Alta Mora, on trails lined with blossoming almond trees and landscapes of great beauty.
And, according to Valter Matias, there will be no shortage of “Algarve snow”, as the almond blossoms are known.
«This year, with the hot days there have been, things are coming together and we should arrive at the festival at the peak», he believes.
Participants can choose walks of 5, 8 and 11 kilometers, on the morning of the three days of the festival, as well as a 20 kilometer walk, taking place only on Sunday.
«We already have almost a thousand registrations, spread over the three days, in the different modalities and people still have time to register», highlighted Valter Matias.
Those interested in must sign up for the tours following this link.
In 2024, it is also possible to purchase tickets in advance, at festival online ticket office.
In addition to hiking and gastronomy, they also do part of the program entertainment, traditions and crafts.
«We will have a lot of traditional music and the entertainment groups will almost double, to around 25. We will have music, theater and dance», according to Valter Matias.
On the musical side, nine shows are scheduled, «three stages in three days: from Folk to World Music, including Flamenco, popular music or ethnographic recordings whose representatives will be the Amendoeiras em Flor Ethnographic Group and the Rancho Folclórica do Azinhal» and the Vozes de Almodôvar Choral and Ethnographic Group».
«There is also space for performing arts with the exaltation of Portuguese folklore with Sofia Pimentão, the recreation of the famous “Legend of Almond Trees in Bloom” by the Satori Association and the show “Festival da Art´Ri-te”, staged by CCD de Castro Marim. In dance, and representing the territory, the “Arutla” from Clube Recreativo Alturense; on the international side, the Sevillian dance group Gracia Diaz», describes the organization of the event.
There will also be children's entertainment «with face painting, traditional games, farm animals, donkey rides and living statues».
In the field of traditions and crafts, the “Local Products and Crafts Market” will be held again, with the presence of fifty producers/artisans.
In addition to the market, «it is possible to visit the “Artisan Village”, where it is possible to contact more than 40 artisans, working live in the recreation of traditional arts/crafts, developed by our ancestors, in a real context. To recreate this village, the organization, with the support of the local population and dozens of volunteers, managed to recover a set of vacant houses, belonging to former local farmers, thus enabling the integration of these 50 artisans in this space».
«By taking advantage of the existing houses and porches, as well as all the associated annexes, such as the bread ovens, the ramadas, the chicken coops, the pigsties, the patios, etc., it was possible to recreate in situ many of the arts and crafts, which they developed here daily, approximately half a century ago. The idea was to put artisans to work in a natural environment, taking advantage of the recovery of a space that had long been uninhabited, which still holds many memories of our ancestors», they describe.
The Association ¼ Escuro promotes a photographic exhibition that recalls the 2023 edition of the Amendoeiras em Flor Festival and bread workshops, basket weaving and almond tree planting workshops will also be held again.
In the 2024 edition, the festival benefits from the Cultural Patronage Statute and has financial support from the Portugal Events program, from Turismo de Portugal, and with the support of the Employment and Professional Training Institute through the Arts and Crafts Promotion Program . This ARCDAA initiative has the partnership and support of the Municipality of Castro Marim and the Parish Council of Odeleite.
The organization provides free transport from Altura, Monte Gordo, Vila Real de Santo António, Castro Marim and Monte Francisco.
«We will also have a train connecting the parking lot and the festival entrance», added Valter Matias.
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