Gloria Gaynor, the 79-year-old American singer best known for her hit song ‘I Will Survive’, will perform in Albufeira as part of its ‘Day of the Municipality’ celebrations on Sunday, August 20.
The concert, which will be free to attend, will take place at the beachside square Praça dos Pescadores at 10.30pm.
“The queen of the Disco era was immortalised by the song ‘I Will Survive’ and her name is forever inscribed in the ‘Dance Music Hall of Fame’. In addition to her famous 1978 hit, the American singer promises to delight fans with tracks from her remarkable 2002 album, ‘I Wish You Love’, as well as ‘Testimony’, released in 2019, paying tribute to gospel music,” the local council says in a statement.
While she has released several hit songs, Gaynor is known around the world for her 1978 hit ‘I Will Survive’, which remains a timeless disco anthem. The song is frequently included in lists of the best songs ever released, having been ranked number 251 in 2021 in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time list.
The song also earned Gaynor her first Grammy in 1980 for ‘Best Disco Recording’, which was followed up in 2020 by her second Grammy awarded to her album ‘Testimony’, which won in the category ‘Best Roots Gospel Album’.
Gloria Gaynor’s concert in Albufeira will be followed at midnight by a show featuring fireworks and music and a performance by Deelight DJ at 12.15am.
While the concert is undoubtedly the highlight of the programme, Albufeira’s ‘Day of the Municipality’ celebrations will begin earlier in the day.
First up is the opening of the ‘Portugal’ – Paintings by Jorge Landmann (1780-1854) at the Municipal Archaeology Museum at 9.30am.
This will be followed by the inauguration of the ‘Albufeira Municipality Coat of Arms Sculpture’ at 10am, a stone replica designed by sculptor Orlando Sousa, and the unveiling of another sculpture entitled ‘Primavera’ (Spring) by Albufeira’s very own Vanessa Barragão at 10.15am.
The council will also be honouring municipal employees with more than 15, 25 and 35 years of service with bronze, silver and gold medals at 10.30am at the town hall.
Another highlight of the day will be the inauguration of the new ‘Residential Structure for the Elderly, Day Care Centre, Home Support Service, and Crèche’ in Olhos de Água, which will take place at 6.30pm at Torre da Medronheira and is described as “a long-awaited social facility of vital importance to the municipality”.
The new two-storey facility represented an investment of around €5.2 million (supported by CRESC Algarve 2020, Portugal 2020, and the European Union through FEDER).
