Olhão Seafood Festival: what it is and when it takes place

Olhão's Seafood Festival takes place every summer in August, in the Jardim Pescador Olhanense gardens on the town's waterfront. The most recent edition, the 38th, ran from 10 to 15 August 2026. The next one will not be until summer 2027, and the town council has not yet announced the dates.

What the Seafood Festival is

It is a food and music festival built around shellfish from the Ria Formosa lagoon. Fesnima, the council-owned company that runs it, says the festival was created to showcase the lagoon's shellfish in all its varieties and in the traditional ways of cooking it. The council itself calls it the biggest food event in the south of the country, and it is the largest date in Fesnima's calendar.

In practice, it means several nights in a row when the waterfront gardens fill up with tables, kitchens and people. You eat seafood cooked to order and, later in the evening, there is a concert on the main stage. Anyone who lives here knows that, for that week, the whole town revolves around the gardens.

When it happens

The festival always takes place in August, usually in the middle of the month, and runs for five or six nights. Dates of the latest editions, according to Olhão town council and the official Algarve tourism board:

Edition	Dates
2024	10 to 14 August
2025 (37th)	9 to 14 August
2026 (38th)	10 to 15 August

As it is now October, the 2026 edition is over. The next one is in summer 2027 and its dates have not been announced yet. Treat any dates you see on third-party sites with caution until the council publishes them. When they are released, they will appear first on the council's channels and the festival's official website.

Where it is

The festival is held in the Jardim Pescador Olhanense, on Olhão's waterfront beside the Ria Formosa. It is a short walk from the municipal markets and from the pier where the island ferries leave. The easiest way in is on foot along the riverside avenue. For trains, buses and driving directions, see our guide on how to get to Olhão.

The waterfront gets very busy during the festival, especially at night. If you can, park away from the centre and walk in.

Who organises it

The Seafood Festival is organised by Olhão council through Fesnima, the municipal company behind the borough's big events (including the town festivities, the Pirate Festival and New Year's Eve). The festival's official website is festivaldomarisco.com, which Fesnima links to directly.

How it works

Entry. Entry to the festival grounds requires a ticket. In 2026 tickets were sold through Ticketline, linked from the official website, and children up to the age of 6 got in free when accompanied by an adult. Prices change from year to year, so check the official site once sales open for the next edition.

Food. Seafood is the star. The official Algarve tourism board mentions prawns, razor clams, lobster, octopus and goose barnacles, as well as cataplana, the Algarve's signature dish. There are regional sweets too. The site is full of stalls, each with its own dishes, and whatever you eat and drink is paid for separately from your ticket.

Music. Every night there is a concert on the main stage, featuring Portuguese and Portuguese-speaking artists. The line-up changes each year and is announced by the council and on the official website.

Atmosphere. This is an evening festival. Arrive early if you want a relaxed dinner and a table before the concert starts. Later on, big crowds gather in front of the stage.

How to follow the next edition

To find out the dates, the line-up and when 2027 tickets go on sale:

• Check the council's official events listings at eventos.cm-olhao.pt, where each night of the festival appears as a separate event.
• Visit the official site, festivaldomarisco.com, and the festival's social media accounts linked from it.
• Keep an eye on our Olhão events page: as soon as the council publishes the dates, we will add them there.

Outside August: seafood all year round

You do not need to wait for the festival to taste shellfish from the Ria. The fish hall at the Olhão markets sells fresh clams and seafood every morning from Monday to Saturday, and you can see what the boats brought in that day. Our guide to Olhão's markets has the opening hours and tips.

If you would rather someone else did the cooking, have a look at our suggestions on where to eat in Olhão. And to fit it all into one day, the one day in Olhão walking route takes in the market, the waterfront and the gardens where the festival is held.

Practical tips

• The festival is in August. The rest of the year, the Jardim Pescador Olhanense is simply a garden by the lagoon.
• Buy tickets in advance for the most popular concert nights.
• Bring a light jacket: evenings by the Ria can turn cool.
• August is peak season in Olhão. If you need somewhere to stay, book early and see our where to stay page.
• Dates and line-ups only count once the council publishes them. Until then, anything you read is guesswork.