If you’re looking for a festival “like all the others,” you can stop right here… because the Festa do Avante is anything but ordinary. It’s not just a music event with food trucks, 90s nostalgia, and lukewarm beer stands. No, it’s something else entirely! It’s a slice of the country, a piece of political history, a celebration of popular culture, a family gathering, a political meeting, a giant fair… all wrapped into three intense days. And yes, there’s music. A lot of it!

Welcome to Festa do Avante, which takes place every early September at the Quinta da Atalaia in Seixal, just across the Tagus River (a few kilometers from Lisbon, to be precise). For one full weekend (typically three days : Friday to Sunday, around the first weekend of September), a usually quiet piece of land turns into a small, temporary city with its own streets, stages, bookshops, regional restaurants, debates, children’s areas, flags, and between 200,000 and 300,000 visitors (yes, you read that right!) walking around as if it had always been there. And, in a way, it has, for many Portuguese, “A Festa” is an annual tradition, almost a pilgrimage.

A festival that’s far from neutral (and proudly so)

Let’s be clear from the start: the Festa do Avante is organized by the PCP, the Portuguese Communist Party. Yes, a political party runs one of Portugal’s biggest festivals (pretty unusual, right ?). And yes, it’s unique ! But don’t think it’s just a rally with three speeches and two live bands. It’s so much more than that.

The original idea was to create a space where popular culture, music, art, political reflection, and human connection could all coexist, outside of commercial circuits. Today, that spirit remains intact: you’ll hear about social rights, peace, anti-war activism, ecology, antifascism… but also see people dancing, eating (well, this is Portugal, after all!), buying books, listening to jazz or Portuguese rock, taking kids to puppet shows, joining a debate on global economics at 4 PM and singing at the top of their lungs at midnight. It’s a mix of festival + social forum + village fair all in one.

An atmosphere you won’t find anywhere else

So, how does it actually feel? You arrive (usually via organized transport or shuttle buses, because parking nearby is… let’s say “adventurous”). The moment you walk in, you’re hit by the smell of food and not the usual overpriced, tasteless sandwich. No, we’re talking traditional Portuguese delicacies from every region: leitão da Bairrada (suckling pig), açorda alentejana, local cheeses, northern sweets, wines… You can literally eat your way across Portugal without leaving the site. It’s dangerous for anyone who planned to “eat light at lunch” (and nearly impossible if, like me, you’re a foodie !).

Then you move on, and everything is buzzing. There’s not just one main stage, there are zones. Big stages for massive concerts, intimate spaces for jazz and world music, areas for talks and debates. There’s a Book Fair, with a huge bookstore offering everything from political theory classics to novels, comics, and poetry. There’s also a children’s zone, because yes, this is a family event too. Kids run between the stalls, flags in hand, while their parents debate how to fix the world. The vibe ? “Raising socially conscious kids,” basically.

And the general energy ? So refreshingly real. This isn’t one of those snobby festivals where you need to be dressed in the latest designer trends to fit in. Here, you can come as you are: t-shirt, sneakers, a red scarf, a tote bag with a slogan, or just your summer shorts. You’ll hear Portuguese, of course, but also Spanish, French, English, Cape Verdean Creole, Arabic… It’s a joyful, multicultural melting pot and honestly, it feels amazing.

Music : the beating heart of the Festa

Let’s be honest : one of the main reasons hundreds of thousands of people come is the music lineup. Portuguese rock, Lusophone hip-hop, experimental fado, world music, punk, metal, jazz, brass bands, it’s all there.

This isn’t a festival stuck in revolutionary nostalgia with acoustic guitars and raised fists (though, yes, you will hear Grândola, Vila Morena at least once). There are major Portuguese artists, as well as Brazilian and African guests, and plenty of experimental, cross-genre projects. Each year’s program blends established names with emerging talents. No “copy-paste headliners” here you can feel the desire to innovate, to showcase different voices: political, feminist, Afro-Portuguese, queer…

And the live energy is something else. The concerts are intense, engaged, but always warm. You’ll find yourself shoulder to shoulder with people singing every lyric by heart, some with fists in the air, others dancing freely, others wiping away tears. It’s a collective experience real, human, and far from cynical.

A political message that doesn’t hide

Festa do Avante is a cultural event with a point of view. It openly tackles topics like anti-war movements, international solidarity, resistance to austerity, workers’ rights, public services, and social ecology. Depending on the year, some themes take center stage more than others. It’s not neutral, and it’s definitely not censored.

There are debates, panels, film screenings, photo exhibitions on social and international struggles. You can literally go from a wild concert to a thoughtful discussion about world politics or working conditions, all in one afternoon. And honestly, even if you don’t agree with everything (and you don’t have to, it’s fine!), it’s stimulating. You leave with more to think about than when you arrived which is rare for a festival.

Here, culture is a political tool, and politics feels alive, not like a boring lecture in suits and ties.

So, who’s it for ?

Short answer: everyone. That’s what surprises most first-timers. You’ll see whole families, grandparents, teenagers, students, activists, curious locals, tourists who “just stumbled upon it,” and loyal visitors who’ve been coming for 30 years. It’s intergenerational, which gives it a different kind of energy than your typical youth-only festival.

That mix of ages, languages, and styles means no one feels out of place. You don’t need to know the program by heart to fit in. Just show up, wander around, and let yourself get swept up in it.

Practical info (for those planning a visit)

Where : Quinta da Atalaia, Seixal, south of the Tagus. Reachable by car, bus, or special shuttles from Lisbon. Pro tip: forget the “I’ll just park 200 meters away” idea. Nope. Plan ahead — you’ll thank me later.

When : Early September, over three days (Friday to Sunday). Nights go late, so bring an extra layer for the evening, even if it’s 32°C at 4 PM.

Tickets : The Festa do Avante isn’t free it has its own ticket system. Three-day passes are usually cheaper if bought in advance through official or local networks. Buying a ticket isn’t just entry, it’s also a way to support the project.

Food & drink:  Honestly, one of the best parts (no surprise there). There’s a huge range of regional Portuguese dishes from the Alentejo to the Azores, Algarve to Trás-os-Montes plus plenty of local bars. Pro tip : go for the regional stalls, not the generic sandwiches. And yes, drink water too, not just beer !

Atmosphere : Relaxed, warm, sometimes intense (especially Saturday night). If you’re coming with kids, stay in the family areas early on, then head toward the big stages when night falls for that “main stage” buzz.

Dress code : None ! It’s Portugal in early September, t-shirts, sunglasses, sneakers. No one cares if you’re wearing a Che Guevara shirt. No one cares if you’re not.

Why it’s worth the trip

Because this festival shows a side of Portugal you don’t always see in postcards, the one beyond trams and pastéis de nata. This is the people’s Portugal, political, alive, creative, and capable of transforming a field in Seixal into a cultural city for three unforgettable days.

Because it’s a festival with memory. It’s not “a big telecom brand set up a stage on the beach.” Here, behind every stand, there are people with a message, a cause, sometimes a family story. And you feel that.

Because you’ll go from laughter to emotion. There are hilarious moments (slogans, ironic t-shirts, funny booth names) and deeply moving ones (a speech for peace that makes the whole crowd go silent). Both coexist beautifully.

Because, honestly, it’s alive. There’s singing, debating, eating, dancing, reading, protesting, laughing. It’s Portugal in all its complexity warm, outspoken, passionate, political, and musical.

The Festa do Avante is one of the few festivals where you can listen to a Portuguese band live ; eat roasted suckling pig at 11 PM ; buy a revolutionary book ; let your kids paint a mural ; and end the night dancing under the stars.

Culture + politics + music. Zero snobbery. If you’re curious about real Portugal, not just its monuments, but its people, their ideas, their way of being together, mark it in your September calendar. Bring good shoes, an open mind, a healthy appetite… and just let yourself go !