“Dances of the World for the Culture of Peace” is the motto for an intense week of music, dance and traditions at the largest folklore festival in southern Portugal, Folkfaro, which runs from the 21th to the 27th of August.
the folkfaro its center is the Algarve capital, but many other Algarve locations – in the municipalities of Loulé, Olhão, S. Brás de Alportel and Tavira – will experience different colors and rhythms brought by groups from the four corners of the world, which will participate in the festival.
the folkFaro is an annual organization of the Folkloric Group of Faro, which has the main support of the Municipality of Faro and is now in its 18th edition. The festival has been taking place since 2003, and was only interrupted in 2020/2021 due to the pandemic. Songs, dances, songs and costumes of different peoples will show the richness of the folk traditions of their countries.
The Opening Gala will take place at Teatro das Figuras, on the night of August 21 (Sunday, at 21 pm), marking the beginning of the festival.
This Gala will be attended by the host group and five international guest groups, and tickets can be purchased at the Theater box office, at BOL – Online Ticket Office, or at FNAC stores.
Os participating groups in this edition of Folkfaro were selected from more than a hundred proposals received by the organization, with the presence of the following countries and groups being confirmed throughout the festival:
BRAZIL – Native Art Folkloric Ensemble (Viamão)
MEXICO – Tierras Mexicanas (Mexico City)
PANAMA – Agrupación Panamá Folklore (Panama City)
PORTUGAL – Folkloric Group of Faro (Host)
KENYA – Tarumbeta Africa (Nairobi) In addition to these full-time international groups, there will be occasional appearances by three more international groups on the stage of Largo da Sé, in a total of 10 international presences:
ARGENTINA – Rumicani Folkloric Ballet
INDONESIA – Group Krida Budaya
POLAND – Folk Ensemble Maly Slask
There will also be special appearances by:
João de Deus Dance Club & S. Brás Bailando Association
Sandra Cristo (Folk Anthem)Faro – “United by a Bond”)
Shows at Largo da Sé de Faro and decentralized program
This year, Largo da Sé, the city's living room, Faro, was the place chosen to host the daily shows of the FolkFaro, during the week of the 22nd to the 27th.
From Monday to Friday, the different groups will act successively. On each of these nights, two groups from different countries will perform, giving them the opportunity to show their most complete show, culminating with the grand closing show, on Saturday, the 27th, with the five participating groups and the host group.
the folkFaro It also presents several shows in neighboring towns and municipalities, such as Loulé, Olhão, S. Brás de Alportel and Tavira, in a total of 12 locations. Various Folk GroupsFaro will participate in the Moncarapacho and Luz de Tavira festivals, in partnership with local folk groups.
The partnership with the Festival de Danzas de Villablanca (province of Huelva – Faro), with the sharing of international groups between the two festivals.
The street animations, as well as the parades of the groups in Baixa de Faro and animations in Moto Clube de Faro and the “Tertúlia Algarvia”, will bring an atmosphere of joy and celebration to the city.
The Special Programs for children, at the Library, and for the elderly, at ARPI, reinforce the festival's social component.
The Dance Workshops, at Escola EB 2,3 Santo António, will allow the most curious to learn and practice a little of the dances of the world, through the groups that visit Faro.
The Ecumenical Celebration in the Church of S. Pedro, on the morning of the last day of the Festival, with a message of peace and unity among peoples, is also a reason for the interest of this festival.
The Opening Gala and the shows at Largo da Sé can be seen anywhere in the world, through the online transmission provided by Mais Algarve on the various platforms and social networks.
The organization also emphasizes that «volunteering and the inclusion of the festival in the community are fundamental aspects of FolkFaro. The volunteers ensured the smooth operation of different areas of the festival: Organizing Committee, Accommodation, Kitchen and Canteen, Transport, Folk-Bar, Folk-Shop, Concierge, Secretariat, Stage Support or even accompanying the Groups as Guides».
In addition to the main support of the City Council of Faro, other public entities, such as the Directorate of Culture of the Algarve, the Inatel Foundation, the Municipal Councils of Loulé and S. Brás de Alportel, the Parish Councils of the municipality of Faro, Municipal Theater of Faro, Ayuntamento de Villablanca, and Fagar support or collaborate with the organization of the event.
the folkfaro is the only festival in southern Portugal with the international certification of CIOFF® - International Council of Organizations of Folklore and Traditional Arts Festivals, a non-governmental organization (NGO) with formal consultation relations with UNESCO, created in 1970 with the objective of safeguarding the promotion and dissemination of traditional culture and folklore. It is currently represented in over 70 countries and brings together over 250 international festivals worldwide.
Comments