Between Friday and Sunday, visitors will be able to watch processions, interactive shows, entertainment, or concerts, in a festival that also marks the 248th anniversary of the festivities of the town's refounding, which took place on May 13, 1776, during the Enlightenment period, highlighted the municipality.

The mayor of Vila Real de Santo António, Álvaro Araújo, told Lusa agency that the second edition of the 18th Century Historical Festival will have “complete historical rigor” and “without interference from other eras”, after, during the first edition, there were “moments linked to medieval times”.

Álvaro Araújo explained that the festival was created to improve the municipality's tourist numbers in May, which “was one of the worst months of the year in terms of hotel occupancy”, and the results are “positive”, because “the hotels will be occupied, if not 100%, around that number” during the festival weekend.

“It is risky to hold a festival like this in low season. If we did it in August, July, or June, or in September, it would guarantee a full house”, acknowledged the mayor, justifying that the option was to create an event that would contribute to improving employment in low season and would be financed with the tourist tax charged by the municipality.

Álvaro Araújo also said that the municipality's main objective is to make the Vila Real de Santo António Setecentista Historical Festival “an anchor event” on the third weekend of May each year, which allows the local economy to be boosted and attract people to hotels, restaurants, and local commerce.