News Porto.

In the run-up to Christmas, Porto's Xmas markets offer the best Xmas related products and foodstuffs. Steep yourselves in the festive spirit and indulge to find essential Xmas handicrafts or simply strolling around town to feel the holiday vibe.

Tom Fleischman, Sound Editor from New York, and five times nominated to the Oscars and winner of the 2012 edition for Sound Editing of "Hugo" by Martin Scorsese, will lecture a masterclass on "Sound in Cinema" at Rivoli Theatre in Porto, on 13 December, in the context of the Sophia Estudante 2018 awards, which will be held at the said venue.

Magic wands and "Quidditch" are on the menu in Porto, on 15 December at the Mercado do Bom Sucesso. Harry Potter's fans, rejoice! The most fantastic evening of the year, "The Potter Party" begins at 8 pm and concludes at 10.30 pm.

The armed forces, the Portuguese Navy Band, the Portuguese Army Symphonic Band and the Portuguese Air Force Band will perform a solidarity Xmas concert. This event will take place at Casa Música, on 17 December, scheduled to start at 9.30 pm, at the Sala Suggia.

The "Astray" projects unfolds in two moments in time; the beginning is on 12 December with the opening of the "Prologue" at Kunsthalle Lissabon, at 6.30 pm. And the second will be at Porto Municipal Gallery, introducing the body of works at Porto Municipal Gallery, from 16 March to 19 May 2019, curated by Sofia Lemos.

The circus tradition in the city of Porto, continuous since 1941, will once more stage shows at Coliseu Porto Ageas from 14 December till 1st January, with no animals in the circus arena. Featuring the best talents from around the globe, the circus at Coliseu has it all - breath taking circus act, jaw-dropping magic, and much more!

Students from Fonte da Moura Elementary School in Porto won Best Film Award at the ENIMATION Festival, which was held in Slovenia. "A Dança das Máscaras" ["The Dance of the Masks", free translation], an animated film directed by 3rd grade students of the said school in the academic year 2017/18, was awarded, the first prize in the category "MINI - films directed by children up to 10 years old" at the International Children and Youth Film Festival ENIMATION.

The 9th edition of Allariz International Garden Festival awarded three Portuguese landscape architects, Alumnae of FCUP- Faculty of Sciences of the University of Porto, who designed the most voted garden by the public on the banks of the Arnoia River, in the town of Allariz, province of Ourense, the Autonomous Community of Galicia, Spain.

UPTEC - the Science and Technology Park of the University of Porto participates in the event "A Transdisciplinary Approach to Social Innovation", in New York, on 12 December. The goal is to bring together social entrepreneurs from different countries to develop new ideas and skills and to create a digital platform.

CGTN (China Global Television Network) was in Porto to interview Mayor Rui Moreira. The topics on the table were China-Portugal relations, Chinese investment in Porto, how can Porto attract more Chinese people, Port Wine market in China, and how to improve mutual understanding.