December will be jam packed with shows and activities that range from classical ballet pieces to photo exhibitions, sports events, and musical extravaganzas.
Two timeless ballets have been brought to the region to launch into December, the first, Tchaikovsky’s magical Nutcraker, which was on at the Figures theatre in Faro on Monday, and Swan Lake, by the Russian Classical Ballet, which took place at the Carlos do Carmo theatre in Lagoa on Tuesday.
Two prominent names on the national comedy scene – António Raminhos and Nilton – will be serving up their stand-up comedy in Portimão on 14 and 15 December, while Vila Real de Santo António’s massive nativity scene – the biggest in the Algarve and which took a month to build – will be open to the public at the António Aleixo Cultural Centre until January.
Lagoa will be hosting the 4th edition of the Living Statues at Christmas event, on 14 and 15 December, and on 16 December, the more active can take part in a Father Christmas Walk and Race in Albufeira.
On top of the festive events, a whole plethora of cultural events are in the planning for the Algarve as part of the ‘365 Algarve’ year-round entertainment calendar, which aims to boost the region during low-season. This includes the Jazz in the Wineries events, the Cataplay gastronomic show, the Atail Circus, which will be livening up Monchique over the new year (28 Dec – 1 Jan) and the Algarve Flash Mob choir, which could turn up on any street, at any time.
A dazzling line-up of performers have been called in for the free New Year’s concerts; Portimão will welcome Richie Campbell (29 Dec), David Fonseca (30 Dec) and Axé Brasil (31 Dec); New Year’s eve in Albufeira will be seen out by HMB, Wilson Honrado and Fernando Daniel (31); Lagoa is again organising the biggest indoor réveillon in the Algarve, the Arade Music Fest, at the Arade Congress Centre, while in Lagos, band Amor Electro will be providing the soundtrack to the arrival of 2019.