Sanjoaninas 2026

Sanjoaninas 2026 is taking place in the centre of Angra do Heroísmo, on Terceira Island, until June 28, keeping the city at the heart of one of the Azores’ largest cultural and festive gatherings. This year’s edition is built around the theme “Angra and Azoreanness” and brings together concerts, parades, food, exhibitions, sports, religious celebrations and bullfighting traditions.

From June 21 to 28, the programme spreads across several city locations, including Praça Velha, Cerrado do Bailão, Cais da Alfândega, Largo Prior do Crato, Rua da Sé, Rua de São João, Praça de Toiros Ilha Terceira and other cultural and sports venues. The food areas are scheduled to open daily at midday, making them a central stop for residents, returning emigrants and visitors.

The music programme uses several stages and includes artists such as Matias Damásio, Mariza, Irina Barros, Nuno Ribeiro, Art’ Fado, Jotta L and multiple DJs, alongside philharmonic bands, fado, traditional singing, folklore groups and local projects. The range of performances allows the festival to run from early evening into the night, with options for families, younger audiences and communities returning to the island for the festivities.

Parades remain one of the defining features of Sanjoaninas. The schedule includes the Charanga Parade, the São João marches, the Ethnography Parade, the Parish Parade, the Children’s Parade and the Philharmonic Bands Parade, all moving through Angra’s historic streets. June 23 is a key night, with the adult marches followed by the traditional sardine gathering and São João bonfires on Rua de São João.

The programme also includes tournaments and demonstrations in sports such as volleyball, minibasket, surfing, athletics, chess, dancesport, cycling, karate, climbing, futsal, padel and nautical activities. Other moments focus on the Azorean diaspora, including the Emigrant Reception and Emigrant Day, while the agenda also features literary events, exhibitions and commemorative sessions connected to the 50th anniversary of Azorean Autonomy.

For Terceira and the wider archipelago, Sanjoaninas acts as a major showcase for Azorean culture, combining popular tradition, contemporary programming and local economic activity. The closing day, June 28, includes the coronation procession, masses, a street bullfight at Porto das Pipas, the philharmonic bands parade and a fireworks display from Relvão.