Portugal's festival calendar has a big anniversary this autumn. Tomar, the historic town on the River Nabão famous for its Knights Templar convent, marks four centuries of its signature event: the Feira de Santa Iria, first recorded in 1626. This year's edition runs from October 16 to 25, filling ten days with concerts, food stalls, fairground rides and old religious customs.

The fair began as a trading gathering — hatmakers, rope makers, shoemakers, grocers, tavern keepers and fishmongers all came to sell. As shopping habits shifted, the event morphed into something closer to a town festival, with gastronomy and live entertainment taking centre stage. Only the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021 have interrupted it in recent memory, and Tomar council has already confirmed trading spaces for the 2026 edition.

The headline addition for this anniversary year is the Iria Music Fest, a concert series running through the fair. DJ Padre Guilherme opens on October 16, followed by Chico da Tina and P*ta da Loucura. Home-grown heroes Quinta do Bill, nearly four decades into their career, play October 20, with Ivandro and a 90s-themed show the next night. ÁTOA performs on October 22, GNR and electronic duo Karetus headline October 23, and Bárbara Tinoco closes things out on October 24.

Music aside, the traditions that define the fair stay intact. The Feira das Passas — the historic core of the event — continues alongside food stalls and cultural programming. The religious heart is the procession honouring Santa Iria, Tomar's patron saint, traditionally commemorated on October 20. One of the most striking customs sees flower petals thrown into the Nabão in remembrance of her martyrdom — a quiet, photogenic moment in a very lively week.

For travellers, this is a good excuse to see a side of Portugal that sits well away from the Lisbon and Porto circuit. Tomar is compact and walkable, with the UNESCO-listed Convento de Cristo, the riverside old town and the inviting Praça da República all easy to cover in a couple of days. Pair a fair evening with daytime sightseeing and you get both the party and the history. If you're planning an October trip to central Portugal, timing it around October 20 puts you in town for the saint's day celebrations and one of the biggest concerts of the run.