The Bombeiros were back with a bigger and better display and demonstrated cliff-rescue techniques, let children jump in their fire engines and, of course, delighted with the zip wire, all while raising much needed funds.
The Boxing school proved to be a big hit (literally!) with children keen to have a go and everyone taking on the piggy, while Allgarve Reptiles wowed with their enormous snake and fantastic bird shows, demonstrating that reptiles and other less friendly looking creatures can be enjoyed by everyone.
OMG Kids, MagnetConnection and the other dance performers put on some fantastic live shows, filled with energy, while the fashion shows not only entertained visitors but also proved to be very successful for those who put them on.
There was no shortage of live music this year with the Majoretes of Loulé opening the show on Saturday and the Nova Filarmonia group marching their way through the fair to open on the Sunday.
On the main stage Duo Sax put on an impressive performance on Saturday and the DeRose father and son act was a great addition to the fair, epitomising the family spirt the event has come to embody. Althea provided the perfect soundtrack to the lunchtime rush on Sunday with her smooth sounds, while Black Widow raised the tempo with their cover songs.
As well as the entertainment, the main draw to the arena area was the delicious food on offer. There were long queues to sample the Mexican specialities from Zeca´s Street Food, while the enormous paella at Taberna do Rei tempted many people over. The hog roast was a big hit with fair visitors and as expected the fish and chips from British Fare went down a treat with those looking to sample a taste of the best of British.
A Tasquinha served up traditional Portuguese food and tapas while the scouts from Agrupamento 685 Alvor were one of the most enthusiastic teams at the fair! Fans of Japanese food could dig into freshly made sushi at Sushi Yama, while the craft burgers from Casavostra and special toasties, sandwiches and tapas from Art’aska Caffe left many people wanting more.
Congratulations to all of the entertainers, musicians, food stall holders and everyone who helped to make the International Algarve Fair a place to celebrate and join in the party to mark the 40th anniversary of The Portugal News.