Olhão Seafood Festival returns with fresh Ria Formosa flavours

Seafood lovers will once again have the chance to sample some of the Algarve’s finest local delicacies when the 38th edition of the Festival do Marisco (Seafood Festival) returns to Olhão from August 10 to 15.

Held in the waterfront Jardim Pescador Olhanense, next to the city’s marina and municipal market, the festival has become one of the region’s biggest summer attractions, combining the freshest produce from the Ria Formosa with a programme of live music featuring some of the biggest names in the Portuguese-speaking world.

For many visitors, the seafood takes centre stage.

The six-night event showcases the rich culinary heritage of the Ria Formosa lagoon, one of Portugal’s most important shellfish-producing areas. Festival-goers can expect a menu packed with local specialities, including oysters, clams, prawns, crab and lobster, alongside traditional dishes such as arroz de marisco (seafood rice) and cataplana – the Algarve’s iconic seafood stew cooked in a distinctive copper clam-shaped pot.

Many of the ingredients are sourced directly from the Ria Formosa, renowned for its oyster beds and sustainable shellfish farming, offering visitors the opportunity to taste some of the freshest seafood available anywhere in Portugal.

Organisers have also broadened the food offering in recent years to include vegetarian options, pizzas and sandwiches, ensuring there is something for all tastes.

Alongside the gastronomic experience, each evening will feature a headline concert beginning at 11pm.

Angolan singer Matias Damásio opens the festival on August 10, followed by Deejay Telio on August 11 and popular duo Némanus on August 12. Chart-topping brothers Calema take to the stage on August 13, while acclaimed Portuguese fado singer Mariza headlines the penultimate evening on August 14. Brazilian music icon Daniela Mercury will close the festival on August 15.

The festival site will be open daily from 7.30pm until 1.30am.

Tickets are already on sale online, priced at €12 for adults and €6 for children aged between seven and 12. Entry is free for children under seven. A six-day pass costs €54 for adults and €27 for children.

Drawing thousands of visitors every year, the Festival do Marisco has become a fixture of the Algarve summer calendar, offering a unique opportunity to enjoy world-class seafood against the backdrop of the Ria Formosa.

Inês Lopes

Newspaper editor at The Portugal Resident