Coimbra's Encontros Mágicos celebrates its 30th edition from September 15 to 20, with approximately 75 free shows distributed across the streets, parishes, and institutions of the municipality. The commemorative edition was presented by the Councilor for Culture, Margarida Mendes Silva, and artistic director Luís de Matos, at an event at Praça 8 de Maio. The Coimbra city council invests 95 thousand euros in the initiative, produced by Luís de Matos Produções.
The festival features artists from ten countries — Argentina, Brazil, Chile, South Korea, Spain, France, Italy, Mexico, Singapore, and Portugal — including names such as Joaquin Kotkin, Jonathan Goh, José Marques Antunes, Juan Colás, Dan Marques, Kayto, and The Charming Jay. Street performances run from Tuesday to Sunday at set times (10:30 AM, 12:00 PM, 3:00 PM, and 6:00 PM), at locations such as Praças 8 de Maio and do Comércio, Rua Ferreira Borges and Rua Visconde da Luz, Largo da Portagem, and the exterior area of Convento São Francisco. The closing ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, September 20, at 11:00 AM, at Parque Vale das Flores.
The two International Galas take place on September 18 and 19, at 9:30 PM, at the Grand Auditorium of Convento São Francisco, hosted by Luís de Matos and featuring Daba and Cielo, Florian Sainvet, Juan Colás, Léa Kyle, Mag Marín, and Nacho Samena. "Magic in the Dark" also returns, by Chilean Juan Esteban Varela, an experience designed for blind people or those with visual impairments, with six sessions at the Black Box of Convento São Francisco between September 15 and 19, by prior free registration.
The program also includes the Magic School for children aged 6 to 12, led by Spanish magician Paulino Gil, decentralized activities in the region through "Magic in the Region," presentations at the Coimbra Pediatric Hospital and the Prison Facility, and Mattia Bidoli's exhibition "Contranatura." The festival was born in 1992 as the first International Magic Festival of Coimbra, returning in 1998 after a five-year interruption with the current format.
