In the late afternoon, the written word will come to life at the Porto Book Fair. From August 21 to September 6, the Acoustic Shell in the Crystal Palace Gardens will host one free concert per day, always at 7 p.m., as part of a series that brings together established artists and emerging talents from the Portuguese music scene.
A fair with nearly a century of history
The Porto Book Fair is in its 13th edition, but its roots date back to 1930, when it began under the name “Book Week” at Praça da Liberdade. Since 2014, it has been organized by the Porto City Council through the municipal company Ágora, and this year it will once again take place in the Gardens of the Palácio de Cristal, from August 21 to September 6. Over the course of 17 days, the program features more than 200 activities —book presentations, talks, debates, film screenings, workshops, and, of course, late-afternoon concerts. The 2026 edition pays tribute to the 83-year-old Porto poet Inês Lourenço.
Concerts Designed for the Acoustic Shell
The concerts are acoustic and intimate, many of them designed specifically for the fairgrounds, and always take place at 7 p.m. The series kicks off on August 21 with Manuela Azevedo and Hélder Gonçalves of Clã, performing in a stripped-down style without large instruments, and concludes on September 6 with Lena d’Água, who invites musician Benjamin to join her on a journey through her five-decade career.
The complete program, day by day
– August 21 — Manuela Azevedo and Hélder Gonçalves (Clã)
– August 22 — Os Comuns (Caio, A Sul, and António Reis)
– August 23 — Janeiro, featuring Tatanka (The Black Mamba)
– August 24 — Catarina Branco and Éme (João Marcelo)
– August 25 — Malva (Carolina Viana) and Beatriz Madruga
– August 26 — Raquel Martins and Sebastián Mayor
– August 27 — SÃO PEDRO and Elisa
– August 28 — Latte and ZARKO
– August 29 — Mão Verde: Capicua, Francisca Cortesão, Pedro Geraldes, and António Serginho (show for children and teens)
– August 30 — Mimi Froes and Miguel Marôco
– August 31 — Afonso Cabral and Francisca Cortesão
– September 1 — Osso Vaidoso: Ana Deus, Alexandre Soares, and Eleonor Picas
– September 2 — Miramar (Frankie Chavez and Peixe), featuring António Serginho
– September 3 — João Só and Tiago Nogueira
– September 4 — Almo and Júlio Resende
– September 5 — Maré Alta 2.0 (Porto’s community choir)
– September 6 — Lena d’Água, with Benjamin
Jazz in the Twin Cities Garden
In addition to the Concha Acústica, the Porta Jazz Association is organizing three performances at the Jardim das Cidades Geminadas, always at 12 p.m.: the C.O.R. project (Gonçalo Cravinho, Lucas Oliveira, and João Rocha) will present “Oxor” on August 23; Clara Lacerda, Romeu Tristão, and Ricardo Coelho will present “Peace of the Wild Thing” on August 30; and the KUALA collective (Gil Silva, Rui Catarino, João Fragoso, and João Cardita) will close out this series on September 6.
Useful Information
Where: Jardins do Palácio de Cristal, Porto
When: August 21–September 6; concerts at the Concha Acústica always at 7 p.m.
Full-price ticket: free admission to all concerts
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