On the eve of Saint Anthony's Day, a Lisbon municipal holiday that this year falls on a Saturday, the festivities begin today with the civil ceremony of the union of five couples at 11:30 am in the Noble Hall of the City Hall, while another 11 weddings will take place in a religious ceremony at Lisbon Cathedral, starting at 2 pm

According to the Lisbon City Council's Equipment and Cultural Activities Management Company (EGEAC), these 16 selected couples are aged between 27 and 51, come from 11 parishes, and represent more than six nationalities.

After exchanging rings and receiving water at the Estufa Fria (Greenhouse), the couples from Santo António descend to Avenida da Liberdade to join the 20 Popular Marches participating in this year's competition, which combines culture, creativity, and tradition, one of the highlights of the Lisbon Festivities.

The evening begins at 9 pm with the traditional Chinese folk dance, the Dragon Dance and Golden Lions, presented by the Macau General Sports Association Lo Leong.

Before the competing marches, the Lisbon Schools Children's March, the A Voz do Operário Children's March, the Markets March, and the Santa Casa March will parade.

Under the theme “We are Lisbon. We are Europe,” the 20 competing marches, which have already performed at the MEO Arena, will be evaluated and scored by a jury based on their costumes, music, and original choreography, portraying the various participating Lisbon neighbourhoods.

In addition to the marches, weddings, and street parties, the Lisbon Festivities program this year, during the month of June, includes more than 40 initiatives, “mostly free,” spread throughout the city, with concerts, open-air cinema, exhibitions, and multicultural festivals.

The closing of the Lisbon Festivities will take place on 26 June in the Gardens of the Belém Towers, with a concert by Matias Damásio, Rita Guerra, Ivandro, and Héber Marques, ending with a fireworks display illuminating the city sky.