The best things to do in Cascais in August

From 20 to 30 August, the festival closest to the Atlantic returns to Cascais Bay for eight days of popular celebration, culture and music. Bringing together performances by major Portuguese artists such as Carlão, Marisa Liz, David Fonseca and Luís Trigacheiro, alongside craft stalls, food and religious moments with deep community ties, the event once again stands out as the grand finale of Cascais’ summer. Click “read more” for the full line-up and all the useful information.

Cascais Atlantic Sunsets is one of the newest summer bets on the Cascais line. For its second edition, over two Saturdays in August – the 8th and 15th – the historic Forte de Santo António da Barra, in Estoril, becomes an open-air club where music meets the ocean at sunset. Designed to create an intimate experience between audience and artists, rooted in nature and heritage, the festival wants to offer a refreshing way to hear live electronic music. Kaytranada on the 8th, and Armand Van Helden and Groove Armada on the 15th, are among the names on this year’s line-up.

The cycle Cinema: 2026 Ano de Todos os Géneros dedicates its August programme to documentary, inviting reflection on the boundaries between reality, fiction and social provocation. Showing at Centro Cultural de Cascais, with free entry, the programme brings together landmark titles in the genre: Peter Watkins’ political dystopia Punishment Park, the Maysles brothers’ intimate portrait Grey Gardens, the world of bodybuilding behind the scenes in Pumping Iron, the making of a film in Burden of Dreams and Christopher Guest’s hilarious mockumentary Best in Show.

Rua do Fado – A Festa do Fado em Cascais is the name of the free initiative bringing concerts and fado bohemia into the public space. Every Sunday at 7pm until September, except during Festas do Mar, the town’s squares and narrow streets become natural stages for established voices and new talent, with highlights including performances by Miguel Capucho and Maura Airez on 2 August, and Hélder Moutinho and Célia Leira on 16 August.

Fundação D. Luís I and Cascais City Council present O Último Carnaval da Coreia, an exhibition of photographs by Bruno Figueroa, a diplomat and current Ambassador of Mexico to Portugal. On show in the chapel at Centro Cultural de Cascais from 23 July to 11 October 2026, the exhibition brings together images captured in the Itaewon neighbourhood of Seoul on the eve of the October 2022 tragedy. The photographs preserve moments of celebration, freedom and individual expression among 159 young people who would lose their lives just hours later.

Mercado da Vila is hosting a series of food-focused initiatives built around sharing flavours and learning, for both kids and grown-ups. Part of the Mercado Saloio day, the event challenges a team to cook a recipe live using fresh products bought directly from the local market, from the vegetable stalls to the seafood counters. The session is free to attend and ends with a tasting open to the public. The August 5th edition is dedicated to oysters.

Angolan singer Pérola presents her show Melhor de Mim at Casino Estoril’s Salão Preto e Prata. With a career spanning more than two decades, the artist promises an intimate and emotional concert, moving through essential hits such as “Evita Só”, “Tens Sorte” and “Não Vai Lá”, alongside recent releases including “Sincera” and “Goddess”.

The hotel practically on top of Praia da Poça is hosting Evolution Party Season, a programme running until September to liven up late afternoons and warm nights. The calendar brings together music, food and cocktails, with themed parties such as Sunset Arraial & Tribal on 8 August, turning the space into a social meeting point for guests and the local community.