The biggest surfing festival ever held in the Algarve will take place in Praia da Rocha from March 5 to 9 .
Praia da Rocha is hosting the Portimão SURFEST, the biggest surfing festival to be held in the Algarve, between March 5 and 9. Bringing together more than a hundred surfers, the event will feature several competitions, a collective exhibition, and a ‘Surf Village’ with various activities.
The festival begins on March 5 and 6 with the Arade Clássico. Directed by international photographer and artist João Bracourt, the competition combines surfing, art and music, promoting a relaxed approach focused on respecting nature and local culture.
The World Parasurf League (WPSL) competition will take place from March 7 to 9. This world-adapted surfing championship provides a competition and development platform for surfers with disabilities.
The event includes athletes of various nationalities, with the spotlight on Portuguese athlete Pedro Palma, accompanied by his coach Filipe Costa, both of whom are from Portimão and accustomed to reaching podiums in European and world competitions.
On March 8 and 9, the Portimão Pro Junior will take place, a stage of the ‘National Pro Junior’ Circuit of the Portuguese Surfing Federation and the National Surfers Association, which brings together the best under-21 surfers in the country. Among the local athletes competing are Suri Rodrigues, Sienna Rodrigues, Leonor Melo, João Bernardino and Louis Escudeiro.
The festival takes place around the Praia da Rocha sports area building and features a 75 square metre (m²) Surf Village, where stands selling clothing, boards, art, food and drink are available.
In addition to the competitions, there will be music and DJs daily until 19h00. Simultaneously, the old Portimão fish market will host a collective exhibition featuring photography, illustration, painting, sculpture, and crafts as part of the Arade Clássico, which can be visited from 18h00 to 23h00, between March 5 and 9.
Portimão SURFEST is sponsored by the municipality of Portimão, organised by the Portimão Surf Clube and is approved by the World Para Surf League, the Portuguese Surfing Federation and the National Surfers Association.
