Feira das Cebolas na Praça do Comércio de 15 a 22 de agosto

Between August 15th and 22nd, another edition of the Onion Fair will take place in Praça do Comércio. The initiative, organized by the Associação Grupo Folclórico “Os Camponeses da Vila Nova”, with the support of the Coimbra City Council and the Union of Parishes of Coimbra, is an important vehicle for promoting the traditional and ethno-folkloric culture of the region and the country. In addition to the presence of onion growers from Cernache, the event promotes “Folklore Nights” and “Entertainment Nights”, various concertina group performances, recreation, and typical Portuguese gastronomy. The 19th is dedicated to the town of Cernache, with the event’s entertainment provided by local community groups.

Next Saturday, August 15th, at 9:30 PM, marks the beginning of the 39th edition of the Onion Fair, an event with centuries of history, as it is a revival of the old St. Bartholomew’s Fair, returning this year to Praça do Comércio (Commerce Square).

Traditional sale of braided onions and folklore nights

The 39th edition of the Onion Fair aims to promote an activity carried out by those who make cultivating the land a daily routine in the parish of Cernache. In addition to the traditional sale of braided onions that takes place during the day, there are other attractions that promote gastronomy, traditional games and, above all, music, folklore and ethnography, through a daily program of “Folklore Nights” and “Entertainment Nights”, starting at 9:30 PM.

In addition to the host group, “Os Camponeses de Vila Nova”, more than a dozen folk groups will perform on stage, representing the Ribatejo, Minho, Douro and Estremadura regions.

After the folk groups’ performances, the Praça do Comércio will also feature musical entertainment by student groups and accordion players every night.

The event celebrates “Cernache Village Day”

This edition highlights “Cernache Village Day”, on August 19th, with entertainment entirely provided by local groups. Starting at 9:00 PM, the following groups will take to the stage: Rancho Típico de Vila Nova, Rancho Folclórico e Etnográfico “As Moleirinhas de Casconha”, Grupo de Cavaquinhos Cantares à Solta, “Marcharte”, and Grupo de Concertinas “Sons de Casconha”.

On the closing day, August 22nd, the organizing group presents the recreation “The People and their Traditions”.

Coimbra’s food heritage and sweets will be featured.

The gastronomy and sweets of the municipality will also be represented at the event, with stalls where you can savor traditional delicacies such as caldo verde (kale soup), sardine pasta, cakes and cod fritters, rice pudding, escarpiadas (a type of sweet pastry) and arrufadas (a type of sweet pastry), accompanied by liqueurs, jeropiga (a fortified wine) or local wine.

The Onion Fair, with the sale of braided onions, creates a centuries-old setting with very peculiar characteristics, which, combined with popular traditions, attracts not only the local population but also national and international tourists. The initiative thus promotes the sharing of various local traditions, a factor that has captivated a loyal audience at each edition of the Onion Fair.

The event has received municipal financial support in the amount of six thousand euros, under the Municipal Regulation for Support to Cultural Associations.