This week all roads lead to Beja! Starting this Tuesday, the 30th, the district capital will host the 40th edition of Ovibeja, which will be dedicated to associations and where thousands of visitors are expected.
The great southern fair, which runs until May 5, is organized by ACOS – Agricultores do Sul, which this year will introduce some changes to the organization of the Manuel Castro e Brito Fair and Exhibition Park grounds, to improve the experience of visitors.
“For example, we will have giant screens this year at the fair, which will broadcast the concerts at night and during the day they will show advertising from sponsors and all kinds of useful information”, announces the president of ACOS, Rui Garrido.
Another novelty “has to do with the creation of a space located in the Pavilhão do Cante, where a small stage will be set up for local artists, from Beja and surrounding areas, to perform between 6:30 pm and 8 pm”, he adds.
As always, Ovibeja will be the “stage” for visits by many politicians, with emphasis on Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, who will inaugurate the fair at 11 am this Tuesday, 30th. Next to the government leader will be the ministers of Agriculture and Environment and Energy, José Manuel Fernandes and Maria da Graça Carvalho, respectively.
On the same day, the fair also receives a visit from the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture and the Sea, “which also comes with the purpose of taking a pulse on the state of agriculture in the Alentejo region”, reveals ACOS.
There will also be many debates throughout the six days of Ovibeja, with the II National Colloquium on Extensive Grazing, organized by ACOS and the Federation of Farmers Associations of Baixo Alentejo (FAABA), taking place at the opening at 3pm.
For Thursday, May 2, at 11:00 am, a colloquium on “Agricultural Associativism” is planned, with the participation of Luís Capoulas Santos (former Minister of Agriculture), Álvaro Mendonça e Moura (president of CAP) and Idalino Leão ( president of Confagri), among others.
The future of viticulture, the preservation of indigenous breeds, professional education, agroecology and natural-based solutions or competitiveness in agriculture are other topics that will “be on the table” for reflection, in sessions promoted by entities participating in the event.
As always, Ovibeja will be the “stage” for visits by many politicians, with an emphasis on Prime Minister Luís Montenegro, who will inaugurate the fair at 11 am this Tuesday, April 30
As in previous editions, Ovibeja will feature in 2024 the participation of “exhibitors from the north to the south of Portugal” and also from Spain, this year bringing together a livestock exhibition with around 400 animals.
The concerts are another of the highlights of the 40th edition of Ovibeja, and the main stage will feature Calema and DJ Ana Isabel Arroja (Tuesday, 30), Buba Espinho and DJ Christian F. ( Wednesday, May 1), Lucky Duckies and DJ Groove (Thursday, May 2), UB40 and DJ Zanova (Friday, May 3); Ana Moura and DJ Wilson Honrado (May 4).
For the afternoon of Saturday, May 4th, at 3:30 pm, the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the elevation of the Alentejo song to Cultural and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO is also planned, with the participation of several groups.
Exhibition and sale of agri-food products, handicrafts, agricultural machinery and equipment, institutional stands, equestrian and dog events, livestock competitions, restaurant area, food and drink kiosks and spaces for street foodstreet entertainment or demonstrations of new technologies applied to agriculture are other aspects of the event, which, as usual, promises to bring together “all of the Alentejo in this world”.
In 2024, Ovibeja resumes the “Guest Region” initiative, which this year will be the municipality of Fundão.
This year’s edition of the agricultural fair also offers a app so that interested parties can directly buy the ticket and access, in real time, what is happening at the event.
