“Created with the aim of highlighting the importance of mountains and promoting their preservation, the Mountain Festival combines sports, leisure, well-being, and culture, providing participants with a unique opportunity to connect with nature,” the promoters said in a statement sent to Lusa news agency.
The Mountain Festival is co-organized by GLOW Creative Intelligence and the municipality of Manteigas, in the Guarda district, in partnership with RUDE – Rural Development Association and the UNESCO Estrela Global Geopark.
The program for the third edition of the event includes hiking, trail running, mountain biking and e-biking, cycling, climbing, kayaking, paragliding, and other mountain sports.
These are non-competitive activities, “accessible to different levels of experience, ages, and physical conditions,” to “enjoy, by land, air, and water, the magnificent landscapes of Serra da Estrela.”
New this year is a Mountain Expedition, which will consist of a two-day hike along less-explored trails in Serra da Estrela.
The Mountain Festival will also offer yoga, pranayama, meditation, mantras, conscious dances with nature, massages, and, for the first time, mindfulness walks, “to slow down and cultivate a more conscious connection with the land and the elements of nature.”
The cultural program highlights performances by Clementine (20th, 6:00 PM) and Ruy Marchi (21st, 5:00 PM).
Saturday night (10:00 PM) will feature a silent disco with DJ Ruben Sousa.
There will also be a blindfolded concert (20th, 2 pm) by sound artist Luís Antero, and outdoor cinema sessions featuring films selected by the independent Dutch production company The Tuesday Studio, which “combine cinema, nature, and reflection under the starry sky of Serra da Estrela.”
Mountain Talks about nature conservation and environmental activism are scheduled throughout the weekend, as well as astronomical observation sessions and birdwatching tours.
The Mountain Festival will be based in Várzea Park, in Manteigas, where a Mountain Market will be held, featuring local products and crafts.
An Outdoor Fair, dedicated to tourist entertainment companies and mountain sports equipment retailers, a play area for children, and a food court with street food are other options available in this village leisure area.
Admission is free.
