The tradition of the Corn Husk Festival is returning to Manta Rota on Saturday, September 5th, with the holding of the fourth edition of this initiative which aims to recover an old practice from Algarve rural communities. The event begins at 9:30 PM at Largo São João da Degola and includes music and folklore. The night starts with the performance of accordionist Marco António, followed at 10:30 PM by the performance of the Folklore Group Etnográfico – ARPI.
The initiative seeks to recreate the old tradition of the corn husk festival, an activity carried out on threshing floors, where wheat and other cereals were threshed and dried. Also known as "desfolhada" (shucking), it consisted of separating the corn cob from the straw that surrounded it.
Despite being demanding work, the corn husk festival also held an important community dimension. People would gather, often during the night, to do the work, in a moment of socializing marked by songs, stories, and sharing among neighbors.
The fourth edition of the Corn Husk Festival is organized by the Associação de Beneficência A Manta, with the support of the Vila Real de Santo António Municipal Council and the Vila Nova de Cacela Parish Council.
