A disorderly, joyful, and exuberant crowd roams the city streets, singing and dancing to popular music hits. Strangely fraternal greetings between strangers with hammers and leeks in their hands. This is São João in Porto. Almost everything has already been said about this special and unique São João festival in Porto, but, as it should be, the June edition of Agenda Porto is dedicated to it.

In addition to the official program of the São João festivities, we highlight one of the traditions of this festive season that involves the whole of Porto—the Rusgas de São João. We went to meet the “rusgeiros” of the city's seven parishes who, with local pride and joy, compete to cheer on this popular saint.

A disorderly, joyful, and exuberant crowd roams the city streets, singing and dancing to popular music hits. Strangely fraternal greetings between strangers with hammers and leeks in their hands. This is São João in Porto. Almost everything has already been said about this special and unique São João festival in Porto, but, as it should be, the June edition of Agenda Porto is dedicated to it.

In addition to the official program of the São João festivities, we highlight one of the traditions of this festive season that involves the whole of Porto—the Rusgas de São João. We went to meet the “rusgeiros” of the city's seven parishes who, with local pride and joy, compete to cheer on this popular saint.

Finally, we would like to introduce a cake that is still unknown to many people – the Bolo de São João. Created in the first half of the 20th century, it fell into oblivion until, about two decades ago, a group of professionals and pastry shops, with the support of historian Hélder Pacheco and the association representing the sector, decided to revive this tradition. We visited two bakeries in Porto that produce Bolo de São João and shared the secrets of the recipe with us.

Happy São João!