Mercado do Bolhão celebrates two years of reopening with concert by Azeitonas and Ivo Lucas

A music concert. A gathering of writers talking about Porto. A weekend designed to include everyone. Two years after its reopening – marked on the 15th of September – Mercado do Bolhão wants to celebrate with the entire city.

This year, the celebrations start earlier. On Sunday, 15 September, Bolhão celebrates two years since its reopening, but the entertainment begins two days earlier. In honour of the well-deserved break for the market’s traders and tenants, the celebrations kick off on Friday and Saturday, while the long-awaited moment of singing ‘Happy Birthday’ will take place on Monday, the 16th, out of respect for the more superstitious.

On Friday, social responsibility takes centre stage in the fresh food market, with the ‘Health Days in Bolhão’ programme and special activities prepared by all the partners.

The Faculty of Nutrition and Food Sciences of the University of Porto will host a special edition of its showcooking event at 12 noon, transforming the market’s produce into a delicious meal. Bolhão’s traders will also receive special attention at ‘NABo for the Market’, an event dedicated to capacity-building sessions aimed at debunking food myths and other related topics.

On the same day, Futebol Clube do Porto will join the celebrations. The market will welcome the club’s mascot, Draco, alongside an activation event from the FC Porto Museum – from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. at Praça do Metro.

Friday the 13th will also feature a musical performance by the Historic Centre Choir of Porto, set to begin at 3:30 p.m.

A Saturday full of festivities

The main concert celebrating the second anniversary of Mercado do Bolhão’s reopening is scheduled for Saturday on the Grand Staircase, where Os Azeitonas will take the stage. The pop-rock group will perform their greatest hits alongside singer Ivo Lucas, with whom they recently released the song ‘Juntar Estrelas’. The concert begins at 5 p.m., as part of a full day of activities happening both before and after the main show.

The celebrations will continue with FC Porto bringing their latest mascot, Viena, to the market. There will also be an educational activity for children, the Dragon Force Immersion.

Throughout the day, the municipal company Águas e Energia do Porto will offer flavoured waters for everyone. Meanwhile, Porto Ambiente will visit the market with its famous mascot, Cascas, who will be running a playful and educational activity for children centred on the importance of recycling.

The Casa da Arquitetura will also join the festivities with an activity for children and adults alike: the organisation invites them to unleash their imagination on a journey of discovery through Mercado do Bolhão.

Saturday's celebrations end at sunset with the roundtable ‘Port of Books and Flavours’, starting at 7 p.m. This initiative, led by Porto Editora, will bring together five great names from Portuguese and international literature: Alberto S. Santos, Rui Couceiro, Germano Silva, Carlos Té, and Richard Zimler. The session will be moderated by journalist Sérgio Almeida from Jornal de Notícias.

A whole Portugal has already passed through Mercado do Bolhão

Two years after its reopening on 15 September 2022, Mercado do Bolhão has already welcomed over 11 million visitors, from loyal Porto residents to visitors from all over the world.

The data shows that the summer months continue to be the busiest, with an average of 20,000 visitors per day. The highest number of visits since the reopening was recorded on 15 October 2022, when the market hosted Portugal Fashion.

In 2024, the 13th of August saw the highest attendance to date, with over 34,000 visitors passing through Bolhão.

Also this year, the UEFA European Championship was the reason for a significant increase in the number of visitors, particularly to the seven restaurants located in the gallery on the third floor. In addition, the São João festival remains one of the most exceptional and unmissable events at the country's largest fresh food market, drawing crowds to the 77 stalls in search of the most authentic Porto traditions.

There are now 32 outdoor shops, and the municipal company GO Porto is preparing to launch a new public tender in 2025 for the remaining unoccupied spaces, with expectations of significant demand for the designated categories.

The aim is that, in the market’s third year in operation, shops and restaurants not yet allocated, closed either by circumstance or by owner decision, to open their doors in 2025.

The year 2024 will also see the first review of the Mercado do Bolhão Regulations, which were opened for public discussion on 22 July, receiving 116 submissions. These contributions are currently under review, with the aim of improving the existing regulations, including adjustments to product categories, inspection models, and opening hours.

The schedule for the second anniversary celebrations of Mercado do Bolhão is now available:

Friday, 13 September

• 10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.
  • FC Porto Museum activation | Praça do Metro;
• 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.
  • Drink Port Water | Praça Formosa;
• Visit from Futebol Clube do Porto’s Mascot | Itinerant;
• 12:00 p.m.
  • Bolhão + Saudável Showcooking - FCNAUP | Bolhão-Meireles Kitchen;
• 3:30 p.m.
  • Historic Centre Choir | Gallery.

Saturday, 14 September

• 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
  • Discovering Bolhão | Casa da Arquitetura I Praça do Metro;
• 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
  • Dragon Force Immersion (FCP) I Rua de Alexandre Braga;
• 10.00 a.m. to 1.00 p.m. and 2.00 p.m. to 5.30 p.m.
  • FC Porto Museum activation I Praça do Metro;
• 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.
  • Drink Port Water I Praça Formosa;
• 10.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.
  • Recycling through Play (Porto Ambiente) I Praça Formosa;
• 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
  • Chef à Moda do Bolhão I Bolhão-Meireles Kitchen;
• Visit from Futebol Clube do Porto’s Mascot | Itinerant;
• 4:00 p.m.
  • FLUP Male Tuna | Itinerant;
• 5:00 p.m.
  • Os Azeitonas with Ivo Lucas I Grand Staircase;
• 7:00 p.m.
  • Roundtable ‘Port of Books and Flavours’ | Alexandre Braga Atrium.