Butelo and Casulas Festival & Caretos Carnival
From February 21st to 26th, the most genuine Gastronomy and the best of the Cultural Heritage of Trás-os-Montes come together in Bragança for a unique event, the Butelo Festival and the Casulas & Carnaval dos Caretos.
Promoted by the Municipality of Bragança, in a joint organization with the Union of Parishes of Sé, Santa Maria and Meixedo, the Confraria do Butelo and Casula and the Iberian Mask Academy, this event has the support of about 40 entities from Portugal and Spain, assuming a cross-border character.
Butelo and Casulas Festival
This year’s edition also includes a BTT Marathon dedicated to Butelo and Casula (February 23, Sunday). An event integrated into the Open XCM of the Cycling and Cycling Tourism Association of Bragança, whose registrations will run until February 19th at www.cronochip.pt.
But the news at Praça Camões doesn’t stop there. With the families in mind, the Municipality of Bragança has also prepared a “Tasquinha”, for tasting smoke and other typical products, permanent animation, exhibition of sculptural elements, carried out by students from Bragança Schools and IPSS, among many other activities ( Friday and Saturday, from 10 am to 8 pm, and Sunday, from 10 am to 7 pm).
In order to value, above all, typical gastronomy and the local economy, the Municipality of Bragança promotes, alongside the event, the Gastronomic Week of Butelo and Casulas, which this year has 33 participating restaurants. The complete list and prices can be consulted at www.cm-braganca.pt.
Carnival of Caretos
Thus, on February 22 (Saturday), after a live theatre session at Praça Camões (3:30 pm), involving Butelo, Casulas and Caretos, the traditional parade will take place through the streets of the historic area, which in addition to the hundreds of faces and masks, coming from Portugal and Spain, counts on the special participation of students from the Municipal School Groups and users of several Private Social Solidarity Institutions, in order to promote our traditions among the little ones, increasing their sense of belonging, and with a strong social responsibility nature, revealing itself as an inclusive moment for all, without exception.
The Carnival of Caretos ends, on February 26 (Wednesday), in the streets of the historic centre, where “the Devil, Death and Censorship” take to the streets, recreating a centuries-old tradition of the city of Bragança.
