Program — June 24

The day opens in two places at once. At the Reimoeiro’s house the Mourisqueiros salute their leader and dance to the Caixa drum — the first Moorish dance. Meanwhile, at the Velho da Bugiada’s house the Bugios salute the Velho and dance to the players’ melodies (braguesa guitars, violins and fiddles). Each formation ends with a “mata-bicho” snack offered by its leader.

Both sides head to the Casa do Bugio e do Mourisqueiro. The Mourisqueiros “sup” first. When the Bugios enter, the doors close so the two never meet. The Reimoeiro sends “Guias” with an insulting offering — feast scraps, bones and animal horns; the Bugios answer in kind. The air turns warlike.

The Band of S. Martinho do Campo gathers by the Passal cross and plays an “entrance march”, in military-style formation, around the Largo do Passal and the parish church. It then “fetches the judge” of the festival, leading him and the stewards to the Solemn Mass.

Masks off, the Bugios listen to the Velho’s instructions and begin their “jintar”. The Velho returns the Mourisqueiros’ insult, sending his own “Guias” with matching offerings. During the meal the Entrajadas burst in and perform, playing off the Bugios and the crowd.

A celebration in full solemnity at the parish church, with civic authorities, the Festival Committee and the faithful. The stewards’ list and next year’s judge are read out. During the “Santo” hymn the Reimoeiro and his “Guias” storm in to “steal the Saint”, as in the Legend.

The procession re-enacts the “theft of the Saint”: by tradition the Mourisqueiros carry the floats of Saint John, Saint Andrew and Our Lady. It leaves the parish church, rounds the Alminhas do Caminho Novo shrine, passes the Passal cross and returns.

A dance held by a cork oak, after the blessing: Moors first, then Christians. It marks the midday break — the dances pause here and resume in the afternoon.

Second scene of the Lavra da Praça. The Sower, masked and in rough garb, casts seed (ash or sawdust) into the air, riding an animal backwards led by Bugios. By the end his sackcloth bag is empty — the task is done.

The Harrowman works the earth with a crude wooden harrow, in rustic clothes soaked in mud beforehand. He follows the same route, brushing his muddy garb against the crowd — mind out if you’d rather just watch!

The last farming figure: the Plougher, masked and muddy, ploughs the square with a donkey-drawn plough, helped by Bugios. It closes the comic re-enactment of the farming cycle — deliberately done in reverse (sow, harrow, plough).

A masked comic play: the wandering Blind Man and his Boy, the Cobbler and his Wife (the Fiadeira). The Blind Man’s Boy abducts the Wife, the Cobbler accuses the Blind Man, a duel ensues — and in the end the truth surfaces and the Wife returns to her forgiving husband.

A moment tied to the parish and the priest, danced around an offering. It precedes the afternoon’s dramatic climax.

The symbolic handover of the festival’s organisation to next year’s Committee, closing the cycle — and already opening preparations for the next Saint John.