Aldeia de Lobos Festival promotes coexistence between man and animal

The Aldeia de Lobos Festival aims to promote coexistence between man and the Iberian wolf, celebrate local culture and raise awareness of the importance of conserving the species.

“Gone are the days when the wolf was seen as an enemy in the village, one of the few in Portugal that still preserves the centuries-old traditions of the Vezeira. With the 'truce made', July has become the month in which Fafião celebrates the wolf, transforming an old rivalry into a journey of coexistence and awareness”, says the Vezeira Association in a statement.

The festival has been taking place since 2018 in Fafião, in the heart of the Peneda Gerês National Park (PNPG), in the north of the Vila Real district.

The organization emphasizes that the event, which takes place between Friday and Saturday, aims to “preserve the species and symbolizes a profound change in the relationship between the community and this predator, which is now in a threatened state”.

The festival's central protagonist is the Iberian wolf and its relationship with the local community, but it also aims to preserve local traditions, such as vezeira, which involves taking turns herding cattle or goats through the mountains.

In Fafião, the streets and old courts, where animals once spent the night, are transformed into galleries for exhibitions and artistic installations and the wolf pit (a trap to capture this animal) is a stage for concerts.

“This annual community event goes beyond simply raising awareness about species conservation, immersing visitors in the region’s rich cultural tapestry,” highlights the Vezeira Association.

In the village you will hear different rhythms from folk, rock, electronic music to more traditional sounds, with performances by Kumpania Algazarra, Bed Legs, Bafo de Bode, Catarina Silva, Magupi, BDJoy and Zimbora Band, Epirex, Uxu Kalhus, Soundprofile, Van Dingo, Maria Callapez and Charanga Alambique.

The artistic exhibitions and installations will be led by Corline Vieira (painting), Humberto Borralheiro (visual arts), Mário Cunha (photography), Luís Simões (drawing), Celestino André (sculpture and painting), Luís Afonso (photography), Javi Aguilera (figurative realist art) and Carlos Pontes who will present images of the Iberian wolf using backlighting.

The theater will be run by the Filandorra company, based in Vila Real.

The Junta de Cabril will contribute with an installation that will make an artistic allusion to the carnival and the Junta de Ferral will present an installation focused on the legend of the Misarela bridge.

During the two days there will also be workshops dedicated to “the most forgotten wildlife”, by photographer Carlos Rio, who will introduce the birds, and also by Rui Lemos, whose speciality is the world of reptiles, as well as the interpretive walk “Olive Oil Route: A journey through the memory and community of the mill”, which takes place in the year in which the reconstruction of a community mill that is 100% operational is celebrated.

In 2025, the central theme of the gathering is “Sustainable Tourism in natural landscapes of relief”, and the program also includes a recreation of the “exorcism of wolves”, a pagan ritual practiced for several centuries, a market with products harvested by local farmers and the European project “Life Wild Wolf”, which aims to protect the Iberian wolf, will also be highlighted.

The Barroso Ecomuseum Pole will present two exhibitions focused on the wolf and the people of Barroso.

The national wolf census (2019/2021) revealed that the area of ​​presence of this species reduced by 20% in Portugal and that the number of detected packs decreased by 8% to 58.

In Peneda/Gerês there was an increase in packs, from 16 to 24, with a decrease in the remaining three population centers, mainly in Alvão/Padrela, where the estimated number of packs fell from 13 to six.