“Let’s go!”
The invitation is made by the Parish Council of Meirinhas, which is once again promoting the Fava Bean Festival, between the 10th and 12th of May, next to the local Community Hall. From soup to desserts, nothing is left to chance on a menu where the theme is fava beans. But this festival is not just about gastronomy – for three days, there are also crafts, entertainment and a walk.
The Fava Festival returns this year for its fifth edition. From Friday to Sunday, Meirinhas hosts a party at the table and treats visitors to an entertainment program. The lineup includes local artists such as Graciano Ricardo, who will liven up the first night of the event, and Ruizinho de Penacova, who will close the festivities on Sunday afternoon. At dinner on Saturday, it will be the turn of the Meirinhenian artist “Xico à Portuguesa”, who will then give the night to DJs Bagunçada. Outside the stage, you can still watch the show cookingparticipate in the Caminhada da Fava on Sunday morning, and also purchase crafts and regional products from around two dozen exhibitors.
Several dishes are part of the menu, which differs each day of the event, with the exception of the traditional “Favas à Meirinhas”, a broad bean stew with ribs, sausages and poached egg, which can be tasted over the three days of the event. In addition to this delicacy, there will always be a meat and a fish option. For those who don’t like broad beans, the menu also includes a suggestion without the legume. The broad beans are cooked by the Lar da Felicidade Association and collected a few days before the event in the Meirinhas fields, where a group of young farmers sow them to supply the Festival. The planting was the responsibility of all producers in the parish and the harvest, which has been taking place over the last few days, culminated in the “Fava Threshing”, which brought together several generations in a day of hard work, entertainment and tradition. In a statement, the Board guarantees that “all dishes are made with a fresh, high-quality product”.
“The Fava Festival emerged with the aim of projecting the name of Meirinhas at a regional and national level”, highlighted Tânia Mota, secretary of the Parish Council, noting that “this objective has been achieved”. In 2023, close to a thousand meals were served. This year, the organization expects an increase in the number of visitors and has reserved a ton of broad beans to serve during the three days of the event, stating that it is convinced “of people’s desire to participate in the joy of the festival, celebrate good local cuisine and celebrate Fava”, according to the press release from the Parish Council.
As in the first four editions, the Junta de Meirinhas once again involves the parish communities in the organization of the Fava Festival, which are the main beneficiaries of the event. The profits obtained are shared by the Associação Recreativa de Meirinhas, the Parents’ Association, and the Associação Lar da Felicidade, which run the taverns.
Parents will also be able to benefit from one of the new features of this edition, the Favolas Space. This will be a childcare area that seeks to entertain the little ones, who will be looked after by volunteer monitors, in an initiative led by Francisco Santos, winner of the Jovem Presidente de Junta project.
