Several Porto events are in the running at the Iberian Festival Awards
Article
João Queirós / Arquivo
The diversity of Porto's festival offer did not go unnoticed by the organization of the Iberian Festival Awards. Several events and spaces in the city are nominated for the awards for the year now ending. The votes are taking place until January 16.
Marked by the return to normality in the post-pandemic world, the year 2022 brought some novelties and several "old acquaintances" to the Porto festival calendar.
One of the highlights, according to the organization of the Iberian Festival Awards, was the Porto Cello Festival. The first edition of the event took the sound of the cello a little throughout the city and earned eight nominations. There are four to be decided by popular vote (Best Small Festival, Best New Festival, Best Indoor Festival, Best Lusophone and Hispanic Festival) and four others that will be decided by the jury (Best Tourist Promotion, Best Cultural Programme, Contribution to Sustainability, Contribution to Equality).
The JN North Festival, formerly North Music Festival, was nominated in the main category: Best Major Festival, which will be awarded by public vote. At the same time, the Alfândega do Porto (Customs of Porto), where the event took place, is nominated for Best Venue (the prize will be decided by a jury).
In the category Best Academic & Youth Festival, the Queima das Fitas do Porto is unavoidable: it is nominated for the award whose decision will be dictated by the popular vote. Finally, there are two city events nominated in the Best Non-Music Festival category. The Festival da Comida Continente and Porto Beer Fest are candidates for the prize.
See the full list of nominees here. Voting is ongoing until January 16, and the Iberian Festival Awards gala is scheduled for March 11.
The Iberian Festival Awards, organized by APORFEST – Associação Portuguesa dos Festivais de Música (Portuguese Association of Music Festivals), distinguish annually the best festivals and music events in Portugal, Spain and in the Portuguese and Hispanic world.
The Festivities of São João do Porto won the award for Best Festivity at the 5th edition of the Iberian Festival Awards in 2020, thanks to the popular vote.