Imaginarius Santa Maria da Feira

Imaginarius

View on map
Arts & CultureSanta Maria da Feira
DatesDates TBA · Usually MayCheck locally before booking
DurationSpringEstimate from available data
Crowd-Public scale varies
Best forPerformance, exhibitionsImaginarius stands out among Portuguese
LanguageLocal language; English access variesCurrency: EUR
CategoryArts & CultureFestival type
The story

Imaginarius Santa Maria da Feira in Santa Maria da Feira

Imaginarius is Portugal's largest international street theatre festival, held each May in Santa Maria da Feira since 2001. Free and open to the public, it brings contemporary circus, giant installations, and avant-garde performance companies from around the world into the historic center, alongside occasional guest appearances from traditional Portuguese folk groups.

Imaginarius began in 2001 as a multi-week street theatre festival in Santa Maria da Feira, a northern Portuguese town better known at the time for its medieval castle than for contemporary performance art.
Your trip starts here
What is special

The part that makes it specific.

01

The place changes

Imaginarius stands out among Portuguese festivals for treating the whole town as a stage rather than confining performances to fixed venues

02

The mystery stays covered

Since its founding in 2001, it has hosted major international companies including La Fura dels Baus, Royal de Luxe, and Odin Teatret, alongside installations from Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, all staged for free across roughly 15 outdoor stages in the historic center

03

The city starts moving

Recent editions have brought around 200 artists from 17 countries for a long weekend of premieres, including works that fuse circus with live orchestral music and gastronomy with physical performance

04

The water draws everyone in

A companion strand, Imaginarius 365, keeps street-arts programming running through the rest of the year, while Mais Imaginarius has showcased emerging artists since 2009

Traditions & symbols

The language of the festival.

What moves first

Living ritual

Founded in 2001 by the Santa Maria da Feira municipality

Water and renewal

Living ritual

Imaginarius has occasionally folded genuine regional traditions into its otherwise avant-garde program

The sacred route

Living ritual

past editions have featured Pauliteiros de Miranda do Douro stick-dancers and Bombos e Gigantones de Lousada drum-and-giant-figure processions as guest acts

The local code

Living ritual

One edition marked the five-hundredth anniversary of the Festa das Fogaceiras

Tradition 5

Living ritual

older Santa Maria da Feira civic tradition

Tradition 6

Living ritual

by inviting the Confraria da Fogaca alongside Catalan human-tower groups

Tradition 7

Living ritual

The festival's core identity

Tradition 8

Living ritual

is contemporary and international rather than folkloric

Before you go

Essential information

When to go

Dates TBA · Usually May

Getting around

Use the city as a planning base, then confirm the exact venue, route, or meeting point close to the date.

What to wear

Casual, comfortable clothing works best, since most of the festival happens standing or walking outdoors in the historic center. A light jacket for cool May evenings and comfortable walking...

Safety

Keep photography restrained at Imaginarius Santa Maria da Feira; give people room and treat community moments as more than scenery.

Where to stay

Choose lodging by the part of Santa Maria da Feira you will actually use, not only by the cheapest room.

Tickets/cost

Check official or local sources for ticketed areas, paid stands, and same-year access rules.

Language/currency

EUR

Family friendly

unknown

Interactive map40.93 N, 8.54 WOpen in Google Maps

Santa Maria da Feira, Aveiro, Portugal

Nearest airportOPO — Francisco de Sá Carneiro
TransportUse the city as a planning base, then confirm the exact venue, route, or meeting point close to the date.
Stay areaChoose lodging by the part of Santa Maria da Feira you will actually use, not only by the cheapest room.

Your Trip Starts Here

External travel services to turn the plan into a trip — each opens in a new tab.

How to get thereRoutes, times and prices to Santa Maria da Feira via local transport.Search routesFind a place to stayStays near Santa Maria da Feira, close enough for the event-day route.Browse staysFind flightsCompare fares into the nearest practical airport for May.Compare faresFestival gearCasual, comfortable clothing works best, since most of the festival happens standing or walking outdoors in the historic center. A light jacket for cool May evenings and comfortable walking shoes are more useful than anything formal, since the crowd is mixed-age and informal.Shop the kitCheck visa requirementsSee whether you need a visa for Portugal and apply online.Check entry rulesTravel insuranceCover for trip hiccups, gear and health on the road.Get covered

We may earn a small commission from trusted travel partners at no extra cost to you.

FAQ

Quick answers.

When is Imaginarius Santa Maria da Feira?

Imaginarius Santa Maria da Feira is listed for May · Spring. Always re-check the official or local source close to travel.

Where does Imaginarius Santa Maria da Feira take place?

The festival is listed in Santa Maria da Feira, Portugal. The map coordinate is a planning reference, not a guarantee of a ticket gate or exact venue.

How long should I plan for?

Spring is the listed festival span. Add time for arrival, local transport, queues, and any route changes during the event.

Is a source linked?

Official source linked. Eventisimus separates source confidence from travel suggestions, so check final details before booking.

Where exactly is it?

Santa Maria da Feira, Aveiro, Portugal

Is it family friendly?

unknown

Sources and editorial review

About this guide

This guide is independently written by Eventisimus using publicly available information, official event and organiser sources where available, local tourism references, and additional editorial research. Eventisimus is not the official organiser of this festival and is not affiliated with it unless explicitly stated.

Festival dates, schedules, ticket conditions, access rules, and local arrangements can change. We aim to present useful and accurate information, but travelers should confirm important details with the official event source before booking transport, accommodation, or tickets.

Found something inaccurate or outdated? Email hello@eventisimus.com with the festival page link and the correction.

Official URLfacebook.com
Organizer accessAre you the organizer? Claim this listing →
SourceSource link available
Listed datesDates TBA · Usually May
Source statusOfficial source linked
Related festivals

Continue the route.

Photo pending

Buenos Aires International Book Fair

Past edition: 23 April–11 May 2026

Buenos Aires, Argentina
Photo pending

Cairo International Book Fair

Past edition: 21 January–3 February 2026

Cairo, Egypt
Photo pending

Pageant of the Masters

Not represented as one continuous festival occurrence

Laguna Beach, United States
Photo pending

Annecy International Animation Film Festival

Past edition: 8–14 June 2025

Annecy, France

Spotted something out of date? Submit a correction →