THE LOOKOUT | Students are the main protagonists of the Alcanede Medieval Fair

Alcanede returns to the past with the Medieval Fair, organized by the D. Afonso Henriques School Group, in collaboration with the Alcanede Parish Council and the Santarém City Council. The event takes place on the 17th and 18th of May. It begins with a procession from Alcanede Castle to the center of the town.
The historical recreation will include, on the 17th of May, the reading of the Charter granted by King D. Afonso Henriques to the place of Alcanede and, on the 18th of May, the reception and dinner for the King. The program involves days of lots of entertainment, music/dance, fire shows and jugglers, traditional games/archery, friend and love songs, among other activities.
At the Medieval Fair, visitors will find stalls with artisanal products, food and varied merchandise, such as bread, conventual sweets, liqueurs, dried fruits, cheeses, smoked meats, fried foods and coffee, aromatic plants and herbs, agricultural products and animals, allowing the everyone present experiences medieval commerce. In live crafts and crafts, artisans will demonstrate their skills in manual work, such as woodturning, weaving, pottery and “scriptorium” (workshop where visitors can try their hand at medieval calligraphy).
There will also be a museum space, where work created by students relating to medieval times will be carried out. The organization states that the event “aims to provide students with meaningful learning experiences, valuing culture and our local, tangible and intangible heritage”.