Camellias Exhibition to suit all tastes and age groups in Porto, in March

Camellias are blooming again in Porto and the Mosteiro de São Bento da Vitória hosts the 23rd edition of the exhibit that celebrates this winter flower. The event kicks off on 3 March, at 2.30 pm and is entrance free. The show enlivens the first days of March, featuring a programme that suits all tastes.

The camellia exhibit has been held in Porto since 1984, and it continues to inspire visitors to experience one of the first flowers to appear in the late winter, be it camellia lovers, collectors or producers.

The finest specimen are on show at this exhibit, jointly organised by Porto City Hall and the Portuguese Association of Camellias.

This is the perfect opportunity to get to know a bit more about these evergreen shrubs or small trees, cultivated in the gardens of China and Japan for centuries before they were seen in Europe.

Nowadays, camellias are grown as ornamental plants for their flowers, and several species are selected for cultivation, many with double or semi-double flowers.
This exhibit also features a competition to select the Best Camellia and the Best Portuguese Camellia. 

The two-day show presents a range of camellia related activities, namely the traditional Camellia Market, four sessions of shadow theatre, staged by the visual artist Beniko Tanaka, a tea ceremony, and several free participation workshops.

Open door exhibit across town

The traditional street lamps of the most iconic historic gardens in Porto will be filled with works by students on the camellias topic, including the Cordoaria, Carregal and Virtudes. These school projects will be on display till 12 March.

Camellias and the Origami tradition will merge through an installation and a free workshop at the Cordoaria (João Chagas Garden), between 2 and 4 March. Across the street, the Portuguese Photography Centre façade will be used as a screen for an interactive display between sunset and midnight, creating the illusion of a constantly changing hanging garden.

On 3 March, at 9.30 pm, camellias will be celebrated to the sound of music, in a concert by the Symphonic Orchestra and the Choir of the Calouste Gulbenkian Music Conservatory of Braga, which will take place at the Church of Nossa Senhora da Lapa.

Sunday, 25 March marks the end date of the 23rd Edition of the Camellias Exhibition presenting a blooming Bicycles tour, and the production of a huge mandala, with an average diameter of 17 meters, made of camellias and other flowers from Porto, at the Amor de Perdição Square.

See here or below the full programme.