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The traditional and characteristic Festivals of the Holy Ghost, which are of medieval origin, are held in almost every parish in the island from Whitsun till the end of August, with colourful ceremonies and the celebrated funções at which you can taste such mouth-watering dishes as the sopas do Espirito Santo, roast meat, massa sovada, and the rice dessert called arroz doce.
The St. John's festivals on the 24th June attract pilgrims from all over the island to the leafy park of Largo Jaime Melo where, to the sound of music played by bands and groups of stringed instruments, pic-nics are enjoyed, there is dancing and a good time is had by all.
Week of the Sea. The port is full of dozens of sailing ships with their colourful sails and flags. The town is dominated by the happy music of bands and groups of stringed instruments, the songs and dances of folk music groups, the animation of a charity sale, the delicious aroma of the tasty morsels served at stands, art and handicraft exhibitions, dances and conviviality. But the festival is dedicated to the sea, and on its waters there is a regatta in the Faial-Pico channel, besides competitions of sailing, windsurfing, swimming and fishing, not to mention aquatic games for youngsters. That is what the Week of the Sea is like. Every year, from the first to the second Sunday in August, it confirms Horta's vocation as a town that lives off and for the sea and as a cosmopolitan meeting place.
The Festivals of the Patron Saints. Each village has its own saint to which it is particularly devoted. And every year, mainly in the summer months, the image of the saint is carried in procession.
Copyright Pierre LaVelly Sousa Lima
