Barcelos is a city located in the north of Portugal, 50 km north of Oporto.

Grupo Folclórico de Barcelinhos is responsible for the organization of the festival, which is part of the CIOFF festivals carried out in Portugal.

By airplane: each group must arrange its arrival and departure through Francisco Sá Carneiro airport, in Oporto.

In case of travelling through another airport (Lisbon or Vigo), the bus trip to Barcelos is at the group’s own expense.

(The price of a bus from Lisbon to Barcelos is about 600 €).

By bus: If the group travels by bus the organization will pay 0,40 €/km, from the advisable entrance in national territory to Barcelos.

Groups travelling in their own bus will receive 0,40 €/km, by organization during each dislocation.

The organization will provide transportation for the other groups.

The groups will be installed in a school in the centre of Barcelos.

The dormitories will be of 8 to 16 single beds inside a classroom.

The showers to wash up are in the gym bathroom, Showers are cleaned and daily litter is also removed everyday.

3 daily meals will be served: breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Each group cannot exceed 28 members.

Festival Participation

The organization will offer, for each day spent in the Festival, a amount equal to 2 € (two euros) for each member of the group.

The organization will provide English and Spanish interpreters.

It is not allowed to use recorded music or any kind of electronic musical instrument.

Each group must have its own orchestra to play live music during its performance in the festival.

The groups that do not fulfil this rule will be expelled from the festival.

The participating group must prepare two 25 – 30 minute various presentations, a 45 minute presentation and a 3-min. "introductory presentation"

The organization is not responsible for obtaining visas. Each group must provide the visas and confirm them through the Portuguese Embassy or Consulate.

International procedures must be respected on this subject.

All members of the group must have insurance (group or individual) to cover all costs of treatment in Portugal/Spain, should it be necessary. The insurance must cover the period from the day of entry to Portugal to the day of departure from Portugal. The group’s manager is responsible for meeting this obligation.

Arrival: 20 July in the afternoon.

Departure: 31 July or 1 August in the morning.

The group interested in participation sends (first by email, and then by regular post not later than 30 January) the application form and the following attachments:

to the following address:

Festival Internacional de Folclore Rio

Largo Guilherme Gomes Fernandes

4755-060 Barcelinhos – Portugal

Telephone/Fax: 00351 253 833838

E-mail: festivalrio@gfbarcelinhos.com 

Webpage: www.festivalrio.gfbarcelinhos.com

The groups will be selected until the 31^st  of January. Festival organisers will inform the group about its participation in a separate letter accompanied by an on official invitation.