Ferragudo is gearing up to host Festival das Escaidinhas (Step by Step Festival) between June 20 and 22
From June 20 to 22, the picturesque village of Ferragudo will host the second edition of the Festival das Escaidinhas (Step by Step Festival), a multidisciplinary arts festival celebrating the summer solstice and local culture.
Co-produced by the Ferragudo parish council, ACD Ferragudo, and BÓIA – Associação Cultural, with support from the municipal council of Lagoa and DG Artes, the event transforms the village into an open-air cultural stage.
The festival invites visitors to explore Ferragudo’s narrow streets and stairways, where short performances in theatre, music, visual arts, and other art forms will take place in unexpected corners. The whole event is designed as a walking experience, encouraging both residents and newcomers to engage with the village in new ways.
The programme unfolds across three days. On Friday, June 20, events begin in the west side of the village with food-focused performances, live fado, poetry, and music, ending with a concert by Quimeras d’Mel and DJ set by the old tidal mill. Festivities continue on Saturday, June 21, when the east side will take the spotlight with theatre performances, film screenings and live music, culminating in an open-air party near Rua 25 de Abril with DJs Lana Gasparotti and Sónia Tropicos. Lastly on Sunday, June 22, festivities will focus around the traditional parades of Portugal’s Santos Populares tradition (see page 18) at the square in front of the local church, followed by a wide range of performances throughout the village’s streets, wrapping up with a dance party hosted by ACD Ferragudo.
As organisers point out, the event is heavily inspired by the summer solstice, when the Earth and the Sun align in such a way that one hemisphere receives the most sunlight of the entire year. This occurs because of the Earth’s rotation and orbit, bringing the Sun at its closest point to our planet.
For many cultures around the world, the solstice is more than just a scientific milestone – it’s a powerful celebration of nature and cosmic energy, they say. Light is essential for life, fuelling growth and renewal, and during this time, it’s believed that a strong wave of energy pulses through the world. The sun, symbolising fire – the element of life and transformation – casts its flames to cleanse and renew. It’s seen as the perfect moment to let go of negativity, offering it to the fire to be burned away and turned into ashes.
