Have you ever heard of the Paper Costume Parade, also known as the St. Bartholomew’s Parade? If you live in Porto, the answer is probably yes. However, if you’re just passing through, this centuries-old tradition is well worth watching.
This year, the iconic initiative will take place on August 24th (Sunday), starting at 10:30 am, with Largo de Sobreiras (in the Cantareira area) as its starting point. Afterwards, the traditional parade literally ends in thesea – in the waters of the emblematic Praia do Ourigo.
“Peoples of the World” is the theme for 2025
This year, around 600 extras are expected and there are high hopes that the Paper Costume Parade will attract around 10,000 spectators. It should also be noted that the theme of the 2025 edition is “Peoples of the World”:
To this end, the participating blocks represent different cultures, such as:
- Bairro do Aldoar: North and South Africa
- Pasteleira: Mexico and Brazil
- União de Freguesias de Aldoar, Foz do Douro e Nevogilde: European Union (EU) countries
- Orfeão da Foz do Douro: European countries outside the EU
- Desportivo Operário Fonte da Moura: Spring Festival or Chinese Year
- Paraíso Sport Clube: Viking culture.
History of the Paper Costume Parade
A candidate for UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage, this initiative is linked to the centuries-old pilgrimage of São Bartolomeu, whose origins date back to the 19th century.
At that time, devotees believed that the Devil was on the loose and that Saint Bartholomew manifested himself in the waters. That’s why they would dive into the ‘holy bath’ to protect themselves.
In the 1930s, the tradition of paper costumes emerged, brought by Costa Padeiro and associated with the “Festa do Banheiro”, but the first official procession only took place in 1952.
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