50th Avante Festival concludes in Portugal with calls for struggle, peace and solidarity

The 50th edition of the Festa do Avante!, the annual political and cultural festival organized by the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), concluded on Sunday, September 6, after three days of political debate, music, culture, international solidarity and mass participation at Quinta da Atalaia, in Amora, Seixal. 

 

The 2026 edition marked half a century since the first Festa was held in 1976. 

 

Portuguese Communist Party's 49th Avante Festival concludes successfully

After three days of culture, politics, debate and music, the 49th Festa do Avante! concluded last Sunday at Quinta da Atalaia in Amora. The annual event, organised by the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), served as both a cultural festival and political forum, drawing thousands from across Portugal and beyond.

Solidarity with Palestine and a strong message of peace dominated much of the programming. The PCP used the festival to voice its opposition to war and its support for people suffering from conflict. 

 

Festa do Avante! 2023: Portuguese Communist Party's festival to be held on 1-3 September

Under the usual slogan "There is no party like this", the 47th Avante Festival (Festa do Avante), organized by the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), will take place on 1 to 3 September 2023 in Lisbon's Seixal district. 

The three-day festival includes numerous activities, such as music concerts, political debates, various events about cinema, theatre, gastronomy, books, sporting events, etc.

Portugal: Thousands attended the Communist Party's "Avante! Festival"

For another year, the annual festival of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), known as "Avante! Festival" (Festa do Avante) became an attraction for thousands of people who gathered at Quinta da Atalaia in Seixal in order to attend the numerous cultural and political events included in the program,

This year's festivities, which took place on 2,3 and 4 September, also included a symphonic concert dedicated to the 100th birth anniversary of the great Portuguese writer José Saramago.

Portugal: Festa do Avante! 2021 successfully held in Seixal

The Avante! Festival, the annual festival organized by the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP), took place with remarkable success on the 3rd, 4th and 5th of September at Quinta da Atalaia, Seixal, with the participation of thousands of people and more than 40 international representations of communist parties and other progressive forces from 4 continents.

In his speech on September 5th, the General Secretary of the Communist Party Jerónimo de Sousa stated: 

FESTA DO AVANTE and KNE-ODIGITIS FESTIVAL: Europe’s largest communist festivals to be held in September

The posters of this year's festivals in Portugal and Greece:
Festa do Avante! and the 46th KNE-Odigitis Festival.

Despite pressure and efforts by reactionary bourgeois political forces to postpone this year’s “Festa do Avante” due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) has decided to proceed to the organisation of the festival, ensuring that all the necessary health measures will be taken. 

In a statement, the PCP provide solid answers to its critics about the festival’s organisation. The governmental decree on summer festivals and similar activities stresses out that they can be carried out as long as they comply with the necessary health rules and obligations. “The attack on the party is just an expression of the reactionary forces’ long-standing objective: to question the exercise of political rights and more particularly the activity of the PCP and unions”, points out an article of the Party titled “Why we organize the Avante Festival”. 

Festa do Avante! 2019: Portugal's communist festival to be held on 6-8 September in Lisbon

Between 6 and 8 of September 2019 the district of Seixal in Lisbon will host the famous "Festa do Avante!", the annual festival of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) also known as "Avante! Festival". 

The story of "Avante!" Festival, which is named after the official newspaper of the Portuguese Communist Party, goes back to 1976 and since then has been a great cultural and political event that attracks young men and women from all over Portugal as well as international delegations from communist parties from around the world. 

Portugal: "Avante!" Festival to take place on 7-9 September in Lisbon's Seixal

Between 7 and 9th of September 2018, in the town of Amora, near Lisbon's Seixal district, the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP) will organize its "Festa do Avante), also known as "Avante!" festival. 

The festival consists a very popular event and attracts thousands of people every year. The three-day festival includes multiple activities, including political debates, music concerts with the participation of portuguese and international artists and bands, various events on gastronomy, theatre, cinema, sporting activities, as well as a book and music fair.