The three-day programme includes themed hikes, poetry sessions, mountain biking, family activities, yoga, vegan cooking workshops, and artistic techniques, all free of charge but require prior registration through the festival’s website. The event opens with the conference “Walking Festivals: what has changed in the Algarve?”, featuring a roundtable with tourism representatives, to discuss the evolution of the region.

A collective art installation inspired by "Freedom" will adorn the village, with an inaugural guided walk by the artists on November 1, highlighting the connection between local nature and culture. Daily activities include numerous hikes of varying difficulty levels, including night walks.

On Saturday night, the Centro Cultural de Barão de São João will host a concert by Josephine Nightingale, a singer-songwriter whose voice is rooted in soul, jazz, blues, folk and reggae. Children will be engaged with artistic workshops and nature exploration, along with daily practices such as yoga, meditation, and Tai Ji Quan.

This year’s novelty are performances by the Algarve Youth Guitar Orchestra, a theatre hike, and a collective photography walk that will lead to an exhibition in 2025. On Sunday, artist Eva Herre will open her studio for a “meeting with colour”.

The Walk & Art Fest is organised by the Câmara Municipal de Lagos and Associação Almargem and is part of the Algarve Walking Season. Events will be held in various local venues, supported by partnerships with tourism companies and other entities.

Registration for the full programme will be available from October 11 at 10am on the festival website www.walkartfest.pt. Follow the festival on social media: @walkartfest.