Although the day that sees him travelling all over the world to deliver presents is fast approaching, Santa Claus will nonetheless take some time out of his busy schedule to mark the start of Tavira’s Christmas celebrations on Saturday (December 7).
He is due to arrive in the town centre at around 11am in a reindeer-led sleigh accompanied by his elves. But this is one of the many highlights of Tavira’s festive season celebrations.
A series of concerts entitled ‘Natal das Aldeias’ (Christmas in the Villages) will take place between Saturday, December 7 and Sunday, January 5, featuring two choir groups – Coro Jubilate Deo and Grupo Coral de Tavira.
The first will perform at four local churches – Nossa Senhora do Mar in Cabanas (December 7 at 7.30pm); Santo Estevão (December 14 at 6pm); Nossa Senhora da Luz (December 14 at 7pm) and Santo Estevão in Cachopo (January 5, no time yet revealed).
The Grupo Coral de Tavira is due to perform at the Santa Luzia church on December 21 at 5pm, followed by shows at Santa Catarina da Fonte do Bispo on December 22 at 4pm, Nossa Senhora do Mar in Cabanas on December 28 at 5pm and finally at Nossa Senhora da Luz on December 29 at 4pm.
Also planned are a series of cooking events, aimed to serve as inspiration for the Christmas dinner, at the Ribeira Market between December 14 and 21 at 11am.
The municipal market will also host several musical performances between December 14 and 20 at 4pm – Saint Dominic’s Gospel Choir (December 14); Banda Musical de Tavira (15); Orquestra de Jazz do Algarve (18); Um Canto ao Natal: canções de Natal andaluzas (19); and Grupo Coral do Projeto Lado ao Lado (20).
Tavira’s downtown area is also expecting Christmas entertainment and many surprises on December 14, 20, 21, 23 and 24, says the local council.
Expensive Soul performs at New Year’s Eve party
Another highlight of the festive programme will be the town’s New Year concert, which will feature popular Portuguese band Expensive Soul.
The party will begin at 10.30pm with a performance by Abba tribute band ‘Abba Mia’ followed by a fireworks’ show at midnight and the concert by Expensive Soul. DJ Gustavo Vera will take the stage after the performance.
On January 4, Tavira’s Igreja do Carmo will host a New Year concert entitled ‘De Strauss a Glenn Miller’ followed by a ‘Festival de Charolas’ – traditional New Year singing – the following day at 3pm at the market.
Tavira council also encourages locals and visitors to visit the local firefighters’ nativity scene, which will be on display until January 6.
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