Last night kicked off the Festival of São João – the holiday we have been anxiously awaiting. We missed it last year because we arrived in July and we were really disappointed, so we were very excited to experience it this year. We were NOT disappointed!!!
The São João festival is a lively celebration in honor of Porto’s patron saint. The city marks the occasion with fireworks, street parties, festive stalls, and traditional games. It’s a special time for the community to come together.
Loved by people of all ages, the São João festival is a joyful, family-oriented event. Its unique customs include releasing hot-air-balloon-like paper lanterns into the night sky, gently tapping others on the head with colorful plastic hammers, waving garlic around, jumping over bonfires, and giving friends and family potted basil plants decorated with traditional poems. Whether joining friends for a meal or simply walking through the festive streets, many make their way to see the night’s grand fireworks display.
While today’s festival is full of lighthearted fun, its origins go back centuries. It began in the 14th century as a pagan celebration dedicated to the sun god, marking harvests and abundance. The Catholic Church later reinterpreted the festival in honor of St. John the Baptist, giving it the Christian character it holds today.
Over time, new traditions were added, shaping the celebration into what it is now. One of the most recognizable symbols of the modern São João festivities is the plastic hammer. This playful item was created in the 20th century by a Porto-based plastics manufacturer, who drew inspiration from a novelty salt and pepper shaker he saw abroad. Initially intended simply as a new toy, the hammer gained popularity during local university graduation parties. From there, it quickly became a beloved part of the São João celebration and is now one of the festival’s most iconic features.
For our first São João celebration, Devyn decided we should go to Fontainhas, a neighborhood not far from us. The folks celebrating in that area were largely locals and we could feel the joy and community in the air.
We saw many paper lanterns being released and many folks gently tapped each other with their plastic hammers. We did some tapping and were tapped by strangers around us too. The idea is to tap people gently, but one little girl, who must have been 3 or so, gave me three not-so-gentle whacks rather than tapping gently. Ouch! Can’t really fault her though… she didn’t know it was too much and she was excited.
The paper lanterns were all over the sky. It looked like little planets were taking over the sky. It was mind-blowingly beautiful and magical, and there were fireworks in the mix too.
Experiencing São João amongst the local community has deepened my love for this city. I’m looking forward to many more São João celebrations in the future.