The Better Living in Portugal (BLiP) Fair returns this weekend with high expectations, a full house of exhibitors, and even a new presence from the PSP airport police, who will be attending to help visitors understand the new EEA passport system and travel rules.
The event, organised by Portugal’s largest foreign residents’ association (afpop), will celebrate the fair’s milestone 25th anniversary. For afpop CEO Michael Reeve, who has steered the event through changing times, this year’s fair feels like the culmination of something special. “If the last three or four years are anything to go by, I expect it to be exciting and full of energy,” he said.
Exhibitor stands sold out by August, meaning over 100 exhibitors will be filling the Portimão Arena on Saturday and Sunday (October 11-12), bringing together everything from healthcare and insurance businesses to charity organisations. Among them are returning big names like IKEA, whose team were so impressed by last year’s atmosphere that they booked a bigger stand this time. “They told us, ‘We need to be back next year,’” said Reeve. “It wasn’t me trying to convince them – they were so impressed with the footfall, the energy, and the people that they wanted to be back.”
One of the most anticipated additions this year will be the PSP airport police, attending for the first time with English-speaking officers ready to explain the new EEA passport system and travel rules.
“I was looking for a centrepiece,” Reeve explained. “I contacted the police commander, who I’ve known for a few years, and he welcomed it as a ‘great idea’. They’ll be bringing leaflets and staff who actually work at the airport. So people will be getting the information directly from the people who man the booths at the airport.”
The charity side of BLiP also continues to establish itself, with 20 charitable organisations set to join the fair this year, including the Portugal Charity Network and Volunteering.pt, which connects volunteers with causes in need.
To celebrate the milestone year for the event, afpop plans to celebrate in style. A special opening ceremony on Saturday morning at 9.45am will include balloons, ribbon-cutting, and appearances from RTA president André Gomes, original organiser Sheena Rawcliffe, and sponsor Henrique Pinheiro from MEDAL. Even the local Bombeiros firefighters band will march in to add to the festive spirit.
In order to keep the community engaged with the event after so many years, afpop works hard to keep things fresh and attract new businesses. “If it was only the same people all the time, it could become stale. We’ve heard people say, ‘Oh yeah, I’ve been three times, it’s always the same,’ and that’s a killer. You don’t want that. You want people to keep coming back.”
This year’s newcomers include a mobile optician offering on-site eye tests, as well as companies launching new products and services during the weekend.
BLiP’s resilience has become part of its story. In 2022, still under lighter Covid-19 restrictions, the fair saw a strong turnout and an emotional return to normality. “People were just so excited to be back,” said Reeve. “And last year, we even had a power cut – but nobody left! Exhibitors carried on with laptops and batteries,” Reeve said.
This year’s BLiP will also be a personal milestone for Reeve – his final BLiP as afpop’s CEO. While he is anxious to enjoy some hard-earned rest, he wants to make sure his final edition is one that lives up to the event’s storied history. When asked about his legacy, Reeve replied: “It is that I carried BLiP on,” he said.
“I know everyone always says this, but it really is a team effort. Everyone at afpop has a role that helps make it happen. The only credit I take is that when it looked like BLiP might go another way, I decided it wasn’t going to. I convinced the management council that we should take BLiP in-house and run it ourselves.”
On a closing note, Michael Reeve encouraged everyone to come along and see for themselves what BLiP has to offer.
“We just want people to come,” he said. “It’s not always the same stuff. There are new businesses, familiar faces, and a great atmosphere. Come and have a look, see what’s happening, speak to the police, or just wander. It’s a couple of hours out of your weekend – and there’s plenty to see.”
