It is in the heart of Minho, in Vila Nova de Famalicão, that, every year in June, one of the biggest and liveliest pilgrimages in the country takes place. The Antonine Festivities, in honor of the Saint Matchmaker, mobilize the entire municipality and attract thousands of tourists to the city. The deepest popular traditions are experienced, with the discovery and reencounter of customs, feelings and ancestral flavors. Along the streets, the aromas of basil mint with grilled sardines and pork sausages. Eat the Caldo Verde and drink the red wine from the barrel.

The party lasts all night and, all over the city, there is music, dancers and popular festivities. The boys buy a manjerico to offer their girlfriend with a popular quatrain that is always original and sometimes playful or jocular. The party takes place in the street and everyone is invited.
The popular marches are one of the high points of the festivities. Every year a grandiose allegorical parade crosses the city center to the Municipal stadium, spreading color, joy and liveliness through the streets, in a lively and healthy dispute between the various associations of the county. But in Famalicão, the Antoninas are also for the children, and they are the protagonists of one of the most beautiful and enchanting moments of the event, with the Children’s Marches.
Music is also one of the strengths of the festivities in Vila Nova de Famalicão, with the presence of big names in national music. Popular raids, Bonfires and Santo António Waterfalls are other traditional moments of the event, which are joined by religious ceremonies, with emphasis on the distribution of Santo António Bread. A splendid display of fireworks usually closes the festivities, lighting up and echoing across the sky, being appreciated from several kilometers away.

Source: https://www.famalicao.pt/festas-antoninas