Silves is preparing to host the 10th edition of the Mostra Silves Capital da Laranja (Silves Capital of the Orange Fair), one of the municipality’s flagship events.
The fair runs from February 13 to 15 at the Fissul building, bringing together dozens of exhibitors, citrus producers, local associations and regional organisations, alongside a packed programme of entertainment.
The official opening takes place on February 13 at 10.30am. followed in the afternoon by the first of a series of agriculture-themed debates and talks, Conferência XXI, starting at 2.30pm in the Fissul auditorium.
The conference aims to give a voice to farmers and address key issues facing the sector, which remains vital to the Silves economy, organisers stress. Topics this year include the controversial EU–Mercosur agreement, results from farming-related projects and ongoing works to update the irrigation perimeter covering Silves, Lagoa and Portimão.
The debates continue on Saturday, February 14, with a workshop titled “The role of simplification and digitalisation in the life of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.” The session begins at 11am on Stage 2 at Fissul.
Across the three days, visitors can also enjoy live music from well-known Portuguese artists, such as Raquel Tavares (February 13 at 10pm), Matias Damásio (February 14 at 10pm) and Bandidos do Cante (February 15 at 5pm). The programme will also feature a variety of traditional music and dance performances, magic shows, puppet theatre and dedicated children’s areas. One of the highlights is the Marcha dos Namorados, a romantic-themed street parade, now a well-established feature on the Algarve events calendar.
Food also takes centre stage. Visitors can sample local and regional products, wines, traditional sweets, varied gastronomy and handmade crafts, all with Silves’ signature orange firmly in the spotlight.
The orange theme extends beyond the fairgrounds and into the town itself with the 10th Fim de Semana com Sabor a Laranja (Orange-Flavoured Weekend), which also starts on February 13 and will see participating restaurants serving creative dishes where the main ingredient is the local orange.
Organised by Silves council, the event is free and is considered one of the municipality’s anchor events. It is designed to highlight local citrus production and support growers, while also boosting tourism during a quieter time of year and contributing to the local economy.
The full programme will be released soon.
