Lisbon’s June celebrations combine devotion to Santo António with neighbourhood festivities. The saint is especially beloved in the city, where he was born, and is popularly associated with matchmaking; Saint Vincent remains Lisbon’s patron saint. The 13 June religious procession and the night-before parties express different parts of that attachment, from church observance to shared meals and music in streets and squares.

The competitive Marchas Populares took their modern form in 1932 through the initiative of Leitão de Barros. Neighbourhood groups developed costumes, songs and choreography into a public display of local pride. The municipal Santo António weddings, first held in 1958, added another civic tradition. Today the marches on Avenida da Liberdade sit alongside smaller arraiais, making the festival both a citywide production and a celebration organised close to home.