30 years ago, at Santoinho, Joe Barreto knelt before Carla's father to ask for his daughter's hand in marriage. The couple, who returned this year to the festival to celebrate three decades of marriage, met in Viana do Castelo. The relationship began in a turbulent way: Carla slapped Joe when he tried to kiss her at their workplace. After only a month and a half of talking, they decided to build a life together and ended up getting married.
Life took them through Canada, Portugal, and finally England, where they settled in Thetford. In the English city, Carla and Joe became involved in supporting local communities and immigrants, creating a foundation dedicated to disadvantaged people and young people. Carla entered politics in 2019 as an independent, was elected councilor and deputy leader, and in 2025 became the first Portuguese woman and the first immigrant to take the presidency of Thetford Town Council.
Alongside politics and community work, the couple maintains a strong connection to Portugal. The foundation distributed more than 130 tonnes of food during the pandemic and develops projects to support seniors and young people. Joe and Carla are also involved in business initiatives between Portugal and England and seek to strengthen ties between the two communities, namely through sending surplus goods to institutions in Alto Minho.
It is, however, to Santoinho that they return to rediscover an important part of their history. This year, the visit to Minho brought together the 30 years of marriage, Joe's and a close friend's birthdays, and the reunion of the whole family in Outeiro. The connection to their Minhotan roots also lives on in their children, who despite living in England and their girlfriends not speaking Portuguese, already know how to sing Quim Barreiros songs.
