12 May 23
Festa dos Tabuleiros (Trays Festival)
Are you planning on visiting Portugal this July? Did you know there’s a festivity that only happens every 4 years just 1h45 away from Lisbon? Did you know it is happening this year?
We’re talking about Festa dos Tabuleiros (Trays Festival), in the city of Tomar.
Its origin dates to the Cult of the Holy Spirit, established in the XIV century, but in it, we can glimpse the remote origins of the ancient harvest festivals, either by the profusion of flowers or by the presence of bread and ears of wheat on trays.
The tray is the symbol and main implement of the Festa dos Tabuleiros. It must have the height of the girl who carries it, being decorated with paper flowers, greenery, and ears of wheat. It consists of 30 specially shaped loaves of bread weighing 400 grams each, evenly strung on 5 or 6 reeds. These come out of a wicker basket wrapped in embroidered cloth and are topped off with a crown topped by the Cross of the religious order of Christ or the Dove of the Holy Spirit.
The Cortejo, the high point of the festivities, is associated with a rich set of cultural and recreational activities, from which the Ornamented Streets, the Popular Games, and the Pêza (meat, bread, and wine originally distributed to the needy) stand out.
The Festival begins on Easter Sunday, with the Departure of the Crowns and Pendants from all the parishes in procession, animated by bagpipe players, drummers, firecrackers, and music bands.
Thereafter, this procession will be repeated seven times, presenting only the Crowns and Pendants of the City and some of the parishes.
The Friday prior to the big parade, the Butler Parade takes place, and it symbolizes the entrance of sacrificial bulls into the city. It used to be called the Parade of the Holy Spirit Oxen and today it is an important procession of carriages and riders, with pairs of oxen at their head.
The streets of the historic center are closed to traffic and are decorated with millions of paper flowers made during many months of passionate labor.
On the Saturday before the Grand Parade, in the morning, hundreds of trays that will be paraded the next day arrive from the parishes. In the afternoon, the Traditional Popular Games (race of bowls and kites, traction of ropes, ascent of the ensebada stick, chinquilho,...) take place.
On Sunday, the most important parade, Cortejo dos Tabuleiros, starts with bagpipers and fireworks. The procession is an immense and meandering flow of color and music. Hundreds of pairs make up the procession: the female costume consists of a long white dress, with a colored ribbon across the chest, carrying on top the trays; the male costume is a simple white shirt with rolled-up sleeves, dark pants, a cap on the shoulder and tie in the color of the girl's ribbon.
Closing the procession are the triumphal chariots of bread, meat, and wine pulled by the oxen.
On Monday after the parade, to end the festivities, tradition, and solidarity dictate that the meat, bread, and wine that were blessed the day before be distributed to the needy - the Pêza.
May you wish to attend, here are the main dates to consider:
02nd of July – Children’s Tray Procession
05th of July – Inauguration of Ornamented Streets
07th of July – Butler Parade
08th of July – Trays Exhibition and Popular Games
09th of July – Banners and Holy Spirit Crown Procession and Trays Procession
10th of July – Distribution of the “Pêza” (meat, bread, and wine)
The Cortejo, the high point of the festivities, is associated with a rich set of cultural and recreational activities, from which the Ornamented Streets, the Popular Games, and the Pêza (meat, bread, and wine originally distributed to the needy) stand out.
The Festival begins on Easter Sunday, with the Departure of the Crowns and Pendants from all the parishes in procession, animated by bagpipe players, drummers, firecrackers, and music bands.
Thereafter, this procession will be repeated seven times, presenting only the Crowns and Pendants of the City and some of the parishes.
The Friday prior to the big parade, the Butler Parade takes place, and it symbolizes the entrance of sacrificial bulls into the city. It used to be called the Parade of the Holy Spirit Oxen and today it is an important procession of carriages and riders, with pairs of oxen at their head.
The streets of the historic center are closed to traffic and are decorated with millions of paper flowers made during many months of passionate labor.
On the Saturday before the Grand Parade, in the morning, hundreds of trays that will be paraded the next day arrive from the parishes. In the afternoon, the Traditional Popular Games (race of bowls and kites, traction of ropes, ascent of the ensebada stick, chinquilho,...) take place.
On Sunday, the most important parade, Cortejo dos Tabuleiros, starts with bagpipers and fireworks. The procession is an immense and meandering flow of color and music. Hundreds of pairs make up the procession: the female costume consists of a long white dress, with a colored ribbon across the chest, carrying on top the trays; the male costume is a simple white shirt with rolled-up sleeves, dark pants, a cap on the shoulder and tie in the color of the girl's ribbon.
Closing the procession are the triumphal chariots of bread, meat, and wine pulled by the oxen.
On Monday after the parade, to end the festivities, tradition, and solidarity dictate that the meat, bread, and wine that were blessed the day before be distributed to the needy - the Pêza.
May you wish to attend, here are the main dates to consider:
02nd of July – Children’s Tray Procession
05th of July – Inauguration of Ornamented Streets
07th of July – Butler Parade
08th of July – Trays Exhibition and Popular Games
09th of July – Banners and Holy Spirit Crown Procession and Trays Procession
10th of July – Distribution of the “Pêza” (meat, bread, and wine)