Lusofonia Festival kicks off on Friday

The 21st Lusofonia Festival will be held from 19 to 21 October at the Taipa Houses-Museum. The event – organized by the Cultural Affairs Bureau and co-organized by the Macau Government Tourism Office and the Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau – offers a diverse programme of activities, including music and dance performances, booths, gastronomy and games.

As usual, the program includes different booths from Portuguese-speaking communities in 11 countries and regions: Angola, Brazil, Cape Verde, Guinea-Bissau, Goa, Daman and Diu, Mozambique, Portugal, São Tomé and Príncipe, Macau and East Timor.

On each day of the Festival, performing groups from Lusophone countries and regions will perform different styles of music and dance. Several local art groups will also perform at the Carmo Square. There will also be a pop-up restaurant serving Portuguese dishes, particularly grilled food and specialties from the various Portuguese-speaking countries and regions.

Visitors of all ages can engage in recreational activities in the form of traditional Portuguese games and table football tournaments. They can also experience the Guia Circuit through a Macau Grand Prix Simulator. Children can take photographs and enjoy pony rides, as well as participate in various games. A radio station will be installed on-site to broadcast Portuguese music throughout the day.

The first edition of the Lusofonia Festival was held on 10 June 1998 as part of the programme of activities celebrating the Portuguese National Day, honouring the Portuguese-speaking community residents in Macau for their contributions to Macau’s development.