#entrudo

[cogumellow]

vila boa, portugal // february 2026 // ©

[paulo-tno]

Entrudo. Laça, Ourense, Galiza. 2025.

[mourama]

Pai Velho | Traditions and Folklore from Portugal (Ponte da Barca, Minho)

The “Entrudo do Pai Velho” (literally, Shrovetide of the old father), in the border village of Lindoso, in Ponte da Barca, is a unique tradition in Portugal, although it resembles some neighbouring carnivals on the Galician side. This ancient ceremony marks the beginning of the agricultural year for the mountain people, who say farewell to winter and celebrate the arrival of spring. The festivities begin at the foot of the “espigueiros” (granaries), with the Castle of Lindoso in front, to the sound of drums, concertinas, castanets and various songs.

The festival itself begins on Shrove Tuesday with a parade of two ox carts, one with a wooden bust representing “pai velho” (“old father”, symbolizing winter) and the other “das Ervas” (“of herbs”, symbolizing spring). Behind follow musicians and neighbors, who sing traditional songs. Amongst them, a dozen figures in white lit a candle, and carry cross at the front, while groaning and shouting: “Goodbye Old Father! You were a good Father”. At night, the figure is burned in the center of the village, with a parallel reading of local jokes in a satirical manner. The bust, of course, is saved for next year's festivities. This type of ritual with medieval roots is carried out in Castelo and Parada, on Fat Sunday and Shrove Tuesday.

[go-learn-esperanto]

Who allowed Carnival to be just before Valentine's day? Everyone is going around "omg valentines 🥺🥰" and I'm here like "wtf are you talking about. It's Ash Wednesday 😐".

[briixta]

Careto de Lazarim

[fabien-euskadi]

This year, due to the pandemic, the city of Loulé will not celebrate the Carnival properly - and it doesn't make a lot of sense to celebrate it, since everybody is wearing a mask for the last two years.

However, even without the traditional parade, the local council decided to decorate some of the most important spots of the city - in its main avenue, there are even two carnival streetcars (both of them condemned to remained parked). If you are not from Portugal (or, eventual, Brazil), you may not understand all the references, some of them political.

I know that the world is not in the mood to celebrate Carnival - and many never even like that festivity. But may these images remind you all that there are still other things in the world other than wars, maniac dictators, viruses, droughts, climatic changes and an overall sense of an apocalypse approaching.

Maybe, the world is not ready to blow away... yet.

A personal note: the only time I went to the Loulé carnival parade was many years ago, when I was in the first grade; I remember having fun as hell - I was six, after all -, but I spent the following week on ,y bed, with the worst flu I can remember. Since then, I decided that the Carnival is not for me.

[jalmeidaphotogupdates]

All the winter festivities in Northeast Portugal have in common warm welcome so common in this part of the country, but each have their own thing, their own vibe. Some are more fast paced than others, some don't even have masks. At Vila Boa one of the most distinctive features has to be how things are build around bonfires: gathering hay and wood to build them, lighting them, jumping over them...

#onthego #portugal #trasosmontes #vilaboa #entrudo #entrudochocalheiro #caretos #fujifilm_xseries #vsco

[wildeyedsoutherncelt]

Entrudo Portugal, a uniquely Portuguese type of Mardi Gras, marks the last night of feasting before the start of the Lenten season.

In Portugal, Fat Tuesday (the day before Lent begins) is celebrated with an ancient Celtic festival called Entrudo.

Entrudo has its roots in ancient Celtic fertility celebrations, although it is now tied to the Christian customs of Lent.

Similar to Mardi Gras festivities (but much more localized and family friendly), Entrudo is a colorful celebration involving hand carved wooden masks, parades, music, lots of food and drink, and mischievous behavior. Read the full article and see videos here: http://wildeyedsoutherncelt.com/entrudo-portugal-celtic-spring-party/