“The only thing missing is those who are here”: the “deceased” Marés Vivas festival leaves Gaia

Famous music festival should take place in Matosinhos this year. Menezes again doesn’t mince words.

O Marés Vivas festival leaves Vila Nova de Gaia. The famous music festival, which began to take place on Gaiense soil in the last century, should continue to Matosinhos later this year.

Luís Filipe Menezes announced the change, writing in: “In Gaia, all that is needed is those who are here and people of their word.”

The president of the Gaia City Council recalls that, in the electoral campaign for local councils last year, he announced that, if he were elected, the festival would be held in interior, thus leaving Madalena (coast).

But then came pressure, alleges: “Despite our clear and public decision, we were pressured and even blackmailed, to change the commitment made to the people in the electoral campaign”.

The president’s stance remained: interior, close to the CREPE, with better access and parking. The people of Madalena supported it, says the mayor.

“The pressure and threat of many emissaries with the news that the festival was going to move to another municipality was daily”, REVELA.

But the president of the Chamber of Gaia “only has one word and no businessman rules here. Every territory deserves equal treatment and success does not depend on the location but on the cast we manage to hire.”

“Mick Jagger in Olival would always have a bigger audience than a cheap band in the center of the country’s capital”, writes Menezes.

Therefore, the Marés Vivas festival becomes “deceased” to Gaia, the municipality that will have this year the Air Race and the Port Wine Festhe announced.

Other news for 2026: a “different and much better” S. João, weekly entertainment throughout the summer in Jardim do Morro and Beira Mar and, still uncertain, the first music festival in the interior of the municipality, “which will grow over time and crush the arrogance of those who thought they were in charge of us”.

“At the expense of the Gaienses, they will no longer get richer. The cemetery is full of irreplaceable arrogants”, continues Luís Filipe Menezes.

On a final note, Menezes reveals that Luísa Salgueiro, president of the Matosinhos City Council, already asked if he could negotiate with those responsible for the festival.

Menezes agreed and, according to , the Marés Vivas festival will be in Matosinhos, this year, between the 17th and 19th of July.

The organization of Marés Vivas an image that simply reads: “A new tide is coming”..