My hometown is not very big. It is considered a city but that’s for Portuguese standards. Usually there’s not much going on there that gets the rest of the country’s, or even its own inhabitants’, attention. Except for one thing: Carnaval. I think I could barely walk when my parents started dragging me to the parades. Sometimes they would dress me up in cool outfits: Dalmatian, Musketeer, Zorro, Chinese, etc. Sometimes not: Spanish slut?! Other times we had to dress up for school in a group. It’s a tradition that affects everyone and you’re indoctrinated as soon as you are self-conscious. As the folks who organize it, we try to keep it as typical as it has been, so the slogan is “The most traditional Carnaval of Portugal” (it rhymes and it’s true).
We are proud to say that we haven’t been infected with Brazilian influence like others (I’m looking at you Mealhada) except for the music. I guess it’s impossible to have Carnaval in Portugal without Brazilian music since we haven’t produced any good ones ourselves. However do not expect naked bodies and samba competitions. It’s winter here, so you might see some nipples but only those popping out from the cold. You gotta dance to keep yourself warm. Like I said, it’s usually a dull town but for at least 5 days a year we have something that leaves almost everyone happy since there’s party at night, party during the day, party for children, party for elderly and party for the Grinch. Party for everyone!
Carnaval of Torres Vedras' Logo
First, let’s get a bit of history. I won’t get into the origin of Carnaval since I don’t know it very well. I wasn’t really good at Sunday School, for me it’s just another reason to party and booze and dress up, and that’s enough. I let Wikipedia do the talking about that. As for the Carnaval of Torres Vedras, I can say something about it (that I also read). There are early references that go back to 1574: nothing special though, just some old dude complaining about some hooligans doing some typical shenanigans of the season. I have no idea where they got those records, maybe from his diary? In other words: it’s an old thing.
Going forward in time, there are some other references in 1862 and 1885, but nothing really relevant. Carnaval was just limited to high class private stuff, not for the public and not for the peasants.
It was at the beginning of the 20th century that the Carnaval that we know today in Torres Vedras began to take form, including some hints of political satire, especially after we threw down those lame-ass royals (a mistake?) and started a Republic. The party was brought to the streets then. Power to the people!
Political satire from 2006 where Chirac, Blair and Zapatero drown the EU submarine
There are two things that are still seen today and that are part of the core of the celebration: the King and Queen of Carnaval (played by two men; local drunks… not really, but known people from town) and the “matrafonas” (basically guys dressed up as the sluttiest trannies ever. I think Lady GaGa was inspired by them). These two aspects of our tradition were introduced back in 1926. I have no idea what the people were smoking back then.
In 1931 we had the first parade witnessed and the first “battle of flowers”. I don’t know if there were really flowers to battle since I always remembered Carnaval with a battle of a thing called “cocotes”. When I was younger it used to be this paper ball filled with saw dust. If you wanted to be mean you would rip the paper a bit and aimed at people’s eyes. I did that, and others did it to me too. I don’t think that happens anymore as the world has turned pussy and there are some non-agressive solutions.
A perfect "matrafona" emulating a young Madonna
But it was not until 1960 that Carnaval became a regular thing. And I’m surprised they could at the time, since we were still under a fascist government. I can’t see the political satire part working very well then.
That changed after the revolution and from 1980 onwards Carnaval became more professional and I guess expensive, since they started charging people too see it. Money has to come from somewhere right? It has also grown a bit in number of days, activities, places, etc. It even has its own spin-off in the summer. The story goes, that in 1995 it rained so badly that people barely came out, no one saw the cars and there was a bit of financial damages. So to compensate they performed an encore in the summer when the weather tends to be better, by the beach and with free entrance. That was a success, attracted a lot of people, businesses were happy, and so it stayed. It’s really Carnaval region over there.
But back to the winter one. Here are the highlights of the typical program, although you can always check the website which I’m glad to say it’s available in English too.
Carnaval's Monument of 2007 showing that male grooming can go wrong
Around 3 weeks before Carnaval, starts they usually inaugurate the Carnaval Monument in the town center. This is also a more recent tradition. It started as a way of showcasing one of the local businesses that is responsible for the design of many (if not all) the floats in the parade and building them. So one year the city hall ordered a monument for them to be placed in the city center, the people liked it and so it began a new thing. Maybe it was jobs for the boys, but who cares, they always do a nice job with it.
Then when Carnaval is about to start (check the moon calendar, this year it’s around the 14th of February), the Thursday night before, the King and Queen are crowned at Praça da República (the city is not big, follow the people and noise). Some places will be open for parties.
On Friday in the morning it’s the children’s time. All schools up to a certain level bring their lil’ ones all dressed up according to the theme of Carnaval. Yep, I forgot to mention, there’s a theme every year. This year it’s “Invasions”. I mean, you can do anything with that theme, it’s a creative freedom ecstasy. The theme is related to the celebration of the 200 years of kicking Napoleon’s ass around the region, but that’s another story. In this parade the children stroll around town in their fancy outfits with their teachers, also in their fancy outfits. But this no Toddlers & Tiaras. This is as amateur as possible - we’re poor after all and children most of the times do their own costumes (child labor), with the help of the teachers and preferably with round-edged scissors.
To carry those bins in high heels, you better have a good set of legs
At night there’s the reception to the King and Queen that goes from the train station to the Praça da República again where they make a speech. And for those creatures of the night, the first hot night begins. Put on your Friday night Carnaval costume and go party because it will end only on the next day or two days after. The idea is just to go around town hopping from bar to bar, dancing, drinking, messing around (if you have a good disguise, even better because no one will remember you). I guess even if you are recognizable there’s an ultimate motto that people say: During Carnaval, nothing is wrong (it rhymes in Portuguese).
On Saturday there’s a night parade with a costume contest for groups, which isn’t free anymore…it’s a crisis after all. And again another hot night. Basically the good ones are the nights preceding a day where no one has to work, obviously. But for me that’s Carnaval because I’m too weak anyway to make it for the day, only night. The idea is to start at 10:00 and end at 14:00, the next day, at least. Don’t even think of leaving the town center before 07:00 or 08:00 to go to a club. That’s when the clubs just start getting good, and the bars close. Luckily they’re not that far, you might even venture to walk, but taxi drivers are abundant and also happy during this period. Some clubs also provide transport.
On Sunday there’s the day parade, very popular, very traditional. If you can make it through the night, just stay around the town center inside the gates (they’re open at night) until the parade starts, then you won’t have to pay the entrance. If you can’t make it, the entrance is just €5 this year. At night some places will be open but it won’t be as crowded as before, since Monday some people will work.
The drummers and the "cabeçudos" are also part of the tradition
On Tuesday it will be a holiday, so Monday night bring another Carnaval costume because you are going to party again and the previous costume is probably either stinky or ripped. Tuesday, during the day there will be another parade, but usually not as crowded as the Sunday one. And at night, not many places will be open but you can still go out and party again if you haven’t had enough yet.
Wednesday closes the festivities until the summer. Carnaval is oficially over after they bury Entrudo in the evening. Entrudo is an effigy that represents Carnaval, kind of like a muppet but with fireworks up its ass instead of a hand. It’s supposed to be the King, and he’s on trial for crimes against humanity. The Queen cries a lot, the King blows up slowly limb by limb until it goes down completely burned. It’s fun to watch. In the end there’s lots and lots of fireworks. Then back home to your miserable life; there’s more next year.
So, if you want to get typical folkore and tradition and party, then Torres Vedras is the place to be, if you don’t mind the cold of course, which is very relative to where you are, because as I write these words they predict it will be something around 16º. On average you won’t have to spend much depending on what you will drink, but you can always drink outside and prepare some plastic bottles with your favorite sweet nectar. The thing you might invest the most in is the costumes. I use plural because you’re not supposed to repeat costumes between nights. That’s a big faux pas. And don’t even dare not come in a costume! People will throw turds at you… not really but they’ll make fun. Snarky answers like “I’m disguised as a serial killer… they look like normal people” won’t work (experience). Bring a costume, seriously.
What else is there to say… nothing. I know I’m suspicious since I’m brainwashed from birth, but there’s no other time of the year that I would consider for anyone to visit my hometown. And to see how much I am into it, I leave with a picture that requires no words.
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Photo credits: Images courtesy of Fr Antunes and NunoCardoso.
Carnaval of Torres Vedras
Torres Vedras, Portugal
Phone: +351 261335950 / +351 917319285
Email: geral@promotorres.com / sergio.lopes@promotorres.com
Website: http://www.carnavaldetorres.com
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