Events in Cacilhas and Almada: When the Feira de Cacilhas, the Marchas Populares and São João Take Place

The major popular events in Cacilhas and Almada fall between May and June, and they repeat on the same calendar every year: the Feira de Cacilhas in May, at Largo Alfredo Dinis, and the Marchas Populares on the eve of São João, 23 June, on Avenida António José Gomes. Around them, Almada Municipal Council runs the “Está Tudo em Festa” programme, a week of free concerts in June.

Anyone already coming to Cacilhas for dinner has good reason, in those two months, to arrive earlier or stay on afterwards. Below is what is known about the calendar and how the 2026 edition went, useful as a guide to what 2027 will look like.

When is the Feira de Cacilhas?

The Feira de Cacilhas takes place in May, at Largo Alfredo Dinis next to the historic Cacilhas lighthouse, and runs for four days, Thursday to Sunday, with free entry to all activities. It sits less than a five minute walk from Rua Cândido dos Reis, where the town’s restaurants are concentrated.

In 2026 it ran from 21 to 24 May. It opened on Thursday the 21st at 6pm with the percussion group Porbatuka, followed by a popular dance with Ludjero at 9.30pm, and on Friday the 22nd the band Alma Rock played at 10pm. The grounds bring together craft stalls, local traders, tasquinhas serving regional food and traditional pastries, plus an area with bouncy castles and carousels for children.

When are the Marchas Populares de Almada?

The Marchas Populares parade always falls on the eve of São João, 23 June, on Avenida António José Gomes in Cova da Piedade, starting at 8.30pm with streets closed to traffic. It is the most popular event on the municipal calendar.

The 2026 edition marked 30 years of the Marchas de Almada and brought together ten neighbourhoods across the municipality. That year there was also a second performance on 3 July, at the Pavilhão do Complexo Municipal dos Desportos Cidade de Almada, also at 8.30pm, for anyone who missed the street parade.

What is the “Está Tudo em Festa” programme?

“Está Tudo em Festa” is the municipal programme that gathers Almada’s São João street parties and concerts into a single week in June, free to attend. In 2026 it ran from 19 to 24 June and brought an important change: the main concerts were centralised at Parque da Paz, which debuted as the event’s main stage, rather than being spread across the municipality.

The 2026 line-up, between 19 and 22 June, included José Cid, Ana Lua Caiano, Bia Caboz, Bateu Matou and Bad Guys. The full programme is usually published by Almada Municipal Council a few weeks in advance, in its own listings.

And outside the festival season?

Casa da Cerca, Almada’s contemporary art centre, keeps a programme running all year, with exhibitions and cultural events that work as a quieter alternative to the street parties. It sits in Almada’s historic centre, a short distance from the Boca do Vento panoramic lift, which makes it easy to combine a visit with a walk down to the riverside before dinner.

Summary: the yearly calendar

The May and June dates hold steady from year to year, but the line-up changes with each edition. For the 2027 programme, the official calendar is published on the Almada Municipal Council website, normally four to six weeks ahead. All of these events are a short walk from Cacilhas, which makes it easy to combine the trip with a meal on Rua Cândido dos Reis, before or after the festivities.