Vendas Novas is preparing to break a new gastronomic record during the Festas do Concelho, taking place between September 4 and 7, 2026. The municipality wants to present a giant bifana 20 meters long, surpassing the 15 meters achieved in 2024. For the first time, the bifana will include cheese. The announcement was made by the mayor, Ricardo Videira, who sees this initiative as an opportunity to reinforce the visibility of a product that has already crossed the municipality's borders.
The creation of this giant bifana results from a joint effort among six bifana establishments in the municipality, with support from Castões, and the Panificadora Central de Vendas Novas, responsible for preparing the bread with the necessary characteristics for the 20-meter structure. Ricardo Videira emphasized that this investment represents a challenge of overcoming obstacles and continuous growth, demonstrating the capacity for mobilization of the local business and gastronomic sector.
The program dedicated to the bifana also includes the "Mil Bifanas Solidárias" initiative, which aims to associate the celebration with solidarity. During the first three days of the Festas, visitors will be able to purchase tickets with a minimum donation of one euro per bifana, with the total amount raised to be donated to the Portuguese League Against Cancer – Southern Regional Branch, which operates at the Hospital do Espírito Santo in Évora providing support to cancer patients and disease prevention.
Beyond the 20-meter challenge and the solidarity aspect, the program includes other activities such as Bifanas à Martelada and the King and Queen of the Bifana contest. The municipality intends that the bifana, which already serves as the "gastronomic ambassador" of Vendas Novas, assumes an increasingly relevant space during the Festas do Concelho, combining tradition, entertainment, economic promotion, and social responsibility.
