3 de May, 2025
The month of May is a time of intense movement in the university cities of Portugal. During this period, students and the community in general are counting down to one of the most anticipated events in the official calendar of festivities: the Queima das Fitas (Burning of the Ribbons). This academic tradition has already become a cultural phenomenon that attracts the attention even of those who have no relation with the student environment. In this article we will explore the reasons that make this university student celebration such a special and unique event in the Portuguese cultural scene.
Queima das Fitas is an academic festival that takes place annually in several university cities in Portugal, such as Coimbra, Porto, Lisbon, Covilhã, Braga, among others. The event is a celebration of the end of the academic year for university students, marking the end of exams and academic work. During the festival, students wear traditional academic costumes and parade through the streets in procession, accompanied by musical bands and entertainment groups.
The party usually lasts about a week and includes various activities, such as dinners, concerts, dances, serenades and other celebrations. Queima das Fitas is a tradition that dates back more than a century and remains one of the most important and emblematic events of academic culture in Portugal.
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The origin of the term “Queima das Fitas” goes back to the beginning of the 20th century, in Coimbra, one of the most traditional university cities in Portugal. At that time, university students wore colored ribbons on their notebooks to identify the college and the course they were attending. At the end of the school year, these ribbons were removed and burned in a large bonfire, symbolizing the end of their studies and the beginning of their professional lives.
Some cities adopt another name for the same type of event. For example, in Aveiro it is called Enterro and in Braga it is called Enterro da Gata. Other cities simply use the expression “academic week”, as is the case in Covilhã.
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University students in their last year, known as “finalists”, celebrate the end of the academic period, a kind of graduation.
The students in their first year, called “freshmen”, celebrate the end of this first academic year. They are no longer “freshmen” and can now wear the famous academic costume, which consists of a cape similar to the one worn by Harry Potter (see curiosity about this subject at the end of the text*).
Serenade: an event that marks the beginning of the “queima das fitas,” typically at midnight, featuring the university tuna performing fado and traditional Portuguese music.
Rally Paper: Students are challenged to explore the emblematic locations of downtown Porto, highlighting its historical and architectural heritage in a relaxed atmosphere of camaraderie.
Parade (Cortejo): Approximately 400,000 students from all academic institutions parade through the city on foot and decorated trucks, with music, drinks, and wearing their traditional academic dress. Final-year students wear the academic outfit, including a top hat and cane in the course colors, except for freshmen who cannot yet wear the full outfit until the end of this ceremony. This event gathers around 400,000 students!
Blessing of the Folders (Benção das Pastas): A religious ceremony symbolizing the end of the academic life for final-year students, also known as the blessing of the ribbons.
Musical Concerts: Nighttime event with public concerts, beverage stalls, and fundraising activities. Tickets tend to sell out quickly (see program below).
The Queima das Fitas is primarily an event for university students, but some activities are open to the public. Student-only events include the parade and the blessing of the folders (they take place in the streets and can be watched by spectators), while the serenade is open to everyone but is a formal occasion. The concerts, on the other hand, are open to anyone who purchases a ticket and are usually very popular.
Yes! Academic attire is a right for any student of the academy.
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Academic ribbons originated from the ribbons used to fasten study folders in the 19th century. The colors of the ribbons vary depending on the course and university.
Check out the most common meanings:
| Color | Associated Course | Fun Facts |
|---|---|---|
| Red | Law | Symbolizes justice and courage. Used in many Portuguese universities, such as Coimbra and Lisbon. |
| Yellow | Medicine, Dentistry, Nutrition | Represents life and energy, associated with health sciences. |
| Dark Blue | Literature, Humanities | Linked to knowledge and wisdom. At the University of Porto, Literature uses sky blue. |
| Brick Orange | Civil Engineering | Traditional color in Coimbra, while in Porto, it’s brick red. |
| Green | Pharmacy, Agricultural Sciences | Related to nature and science. In some universities, Pharmacy uses purple. |
| Purple | Psychology, Philosophy | Associated with the mind and deep thought. |
Each institution has its own colors for each course—meaning the same color can represent different fields depending on the university. For example, green may stand for Pharmacy in one university and Agronomy in another. However, some colors have universal meanings. Additionally, some courses use multi-colored ribbons, such as the red and white of Law in Lisbon.
The music shows held during Queima week usually attract a large crowd, including many who are no longer students. That’s because the lineup features national and even international artists, with ticket prices kept relatively low, as the event is student-oriented and non-profit. Tickets for the concerts are typically released around 45 days before the event, and prices increase as the festival date approaches. Below is the schedule for the two most traditional Queimas in Portugal.
The 2025 edition of Queima das Fitas do Porto takes place from May 3 to 10 and includes some of the most iconic moments of Porto’s academic tradition. The program kicks off on Saturday, May 3, with the Serenata Monumental on Avenida dos Aliados, marking the official start of the week. On Sunday, May 4, the Blessing of the Folders Mass will also take place at Aliados. On Tuesday, May 6, the highlight is the Academic Parade, which marches through the streets of the city with the usual student excitement. The festivities continue until Saturday, May 10, with concerts and daily events at the Queimódromo, a space specially prepared to host the student celebration.
The musical concerts take place near Parque da Cidade, at the so-called Queimódromo, on Estrada da Circunvalação, in a 45,000-square-meter open area. The general pass is already sold out, but daily tickets are still available for €15.
In 2025, the “Queima Nights” will take place from May 3 to 10.
Confirmed so far:
May 3 (Saturday)
Milky Chance
Vini Vici
May 4 (Sunday)
Clean Bandit
Mizzy Miles
Band Contest Winner
May 5 (Monday)
Jovem Dionísio
Bispo
May 6 (Tuesday)
Quim Barreiros
Rosinha
May 7 (Wednesday)
WIU
T-Rex
May 8 (Thursday)
Van Zee
Plutónio
DJ Contest Winner
May 9 (Friday)
Lukas Graham
Dillaz
Miguel Luz
May 10 (Saturday)
Hybrid Theory
Nininho Vaz Maia
Queima das Fitas in Lisbon 2025 takes place from May 15 to 20.
Queima das Fitas de Coimbra 2025 takes place from May 23 to 31.
This year, the organizing committee is launching, on May 11, the first edition of the Queima das Fitas Solidarity Run, featuring two formats – a 10 km run and a 5 km walk – starting and ending at Praça da Canção, in Coimbra. Important: 50% of the registration fees will be donated to the Portuguese League Against Cancer.
The full program for Coimbra has not yet been released, but it traditionally includes the Cortejo dos Fitados on Sunday, which runs through the city streets and is free for all. The Noites do Parque are dedicated to concerts with national and international artists. The Gala Ball and Dancing Tea Party (when the ball’s decor is ceremonially destroyed) are scheduled for May 27 and 28.
The Ceia dos Boêmios is a gathering between graduating and new students, while the Academic Soirée features theater and music by students of the Coimbra Academic Association. The festivities also include solidarity, sports and other events, with more than 60 activities planned.
In 2025, the paid musical program runs from May 23 to 31 at Praça da Canção. Confirmed acts so far:
May 23 | Anselmo Ralph | HMB
May 24 | Miguel Luz | Napa | Richie Campbell
May 25 | To be confirmed
May 26 | Van Zee | Força Suprema | King Bigs
May 27 | WIU | Veigh
May 28 | Zé Felipe
May 29 | To be confirmed
May 30 | Plutónio | Dillaz
May 31 | To be confirmed
Tickets cost €15 to €19 (non-students).
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Queima das Fitas is a unique and very lively cultural event in Portugal. The energy of the students who parade and celebrate in the streets during the event is something contagious that is worth checking out. It is also an opportunity to learn more about Portuguese culture, make new friends, and have a lot of fun. Make a note of the dates in your calendar and be sure to participate!
Harry Potter writer J.K. Rowling lived in Porto for about two years. She moved to Portugal after the death of her mother, Anne, in 1991, who crowded for many years with a degenerative disease, multiple sclerosis. Anne Volant’s death “left a shadow of sadness” on the author, something that influenced her in creating the story of Harry Potter, a young wizard who lost his parents as a baby. In Porto, she taught English, married a Portuguese journalist (Jorge Arantes) in 1992, and had her daughter Jessica in 1993. It was circulating around the city that she absorbed many inspirations. One of them was the academic costume of the students at the University of Porto and Coimbra. The cloak/ cape/ robe is practically the same used by Hogwarts students. No, it is not just a coincidence…
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*Silvia Resende is a journalist at Atlantic Bridge. From Bahia, she arrived in Portugal in 2015 to build a new life together with her family. She has a degree and a master’s degree in Communication Sciences from the University of Porto. She has worked as a TV presenter, reporter, event producer, public relations and tour guide in Porto. She loves to travel and to discover the cultural and natural heritage of each place she goes to. She was a student at the University of Porto and followed Queima das Fitas very closely.
Author:
Atlantic Bridge
