The event is in the 43rd edition
One of Europe’s biggest biker parties is kicking off today (July 17) in Faro, with organisers ready to welcome over 20,000 motorcycle fans from across the globe.
Held in the Vale das Almas pine forest near Faro Airport, the four-day festival ‘Concentração Moto Clube de Faro’ is packed with live concerts, stunt shows, parades, and non-stop biker culture. By Sunday, thousands of bikes will have rolled through the Algarve capital in a roaring farewell parade.
“We’re ready for 20,000 people or more,” said Pedro Baptista, the new president of the Faro Motorcycle Club, which has run the rally since it began. He recently took over from longtime leader José Amaro, who led the club for over 40 years.
By mid-morning today, motorcycles were already flooding the roads into the rally site, with about 4,000 people registered and many more arriving throughout the day.
This year’s lineup features major acts like The Black Mamba and Bubba Brothers on Thursday, Moonspell, Blasted Mechanism, and Calle del Ruido on Friday, and The Waterboys and Sara Correia on Saturday.
Faro mayor Rogério Bacalhau says the event brings in an estimated €2 million to the local economy. “It might be the event with the biggest impact on the Algarve in such a short time,” he told Lusa news agency.
Security is tight, with around 1,000 staff managing safety at the venue. Most issues are handled on-site, says Pascal Cavaco, the event’s head of security.
On the health front, around 100 medical professionals, including Red Cross nurses and technicians, are voluntarily on hand. Most injuries are minor – burns and small fractures are the most common.
“We try to treat everything here,” said Bárbara Ribeiro, one of the lead medics, adding that hospital transfers are rare.
Meanwhile, GNR police has announced it is stepping up road patrols and traffic checks around Faro to ensure everything runs smoothly.
