LUÍS BIDARRA, FROM THE PICO ZEN ORGANIZATION

The Pico Zen festival takes place from April 25 to 28 at the Furna Camping Park in São Roque do Pico. What are the main highlights of this edition?
We don’t want to make exclusive highlights because the festival is designed and structured to give equal importance to the various moments that aim to generate well-being, harmony, and relaxation. So we can only say that the highlights are distributed over the days with Zen activities, island reconnaissance, healthy vegetarian food and fantastic concerts. In our program, we have everything well-detailed, including place and time. Meditation and yoga workshops, talks by wellness experts, outdoor activities such as hiking and yoga, music and art to create a relaxing atmosphere, and a natural and organic products fair. These elements combine to provide a holistic experience focused on relaxation, mental health, and spirituality, which you can find in April on the island of Pico.
This year, in addition to the nature activities that distinguish this festival, there is a focus on the musical component, with the highlight being Portuguese singer-songwriter Márcia. Does Pico Zen also want to make a name for itself in this area? Does Márcia’s music tie in well with the concept of the festival?
For the past two years, we’ve been promoting an artistic residency, highlighting women from the island with exclusive musical compositions for the festival, resulting in a very upbeat musical evening experience. So we can say that music gives us very beneficial sensations for body and mind in the spirit of our festival. We don’t want to assert ourselves in this area but want the festival to have this component. In fact, it’s essential. And, of course, all our proposals, partners, artists, and therapists have a unique shine. The choice and partnership with Márcia were also thought out holistically.

This is already the third edition of Pico Zen. Has the festival been consolidating itself? Has it won over a loyal audience?
Yes. Every year, we take a step forward. And so we build and solidify our foundations for a whole festival—full of life, balance, and open to everyone. Different audiences focus on the same goal: enjoying a holistic experience immersed in nature with relaxing/restorative activities and proposals. We would say that the people of the island are the ‘home’ people we welcome every year. Then we spread to Europe, from young people to families.

What are the most popular activities? What is different about this festival that attracts people from outside the Azores?
All the activities are relatively balanced in terms of demand. But I can say that the experience of making the traditional Pico corn cake attracts everyone from the youngest to the oldest. It’s always a full house. This festival draws people from outside the Azores because it includes zen and wellness activities in its program, along with typical island activities, which show the power of the island of Pico. So, in a tourist-healthy way, you can, for example, taste corn cake and take a yoga class. It’s the combination and selection of offers with the island’s potential.

Pico Zen is among the 10 finalists in the Iberian Festival Awards category for Best Non-Musical Festival. What does this distinction mean?
The inclusion of Pico Zen among the 10 finalists of the Iberian Festival Awards in the category of Best Non-Musical Festival represents recognition of the quality and impact of the event. This distinction highlights the festival as one of the examples in the category of festivals that do not focus exclusively on music but instead on offering participants a broader and more enriching experience. These awards highlight Pico Zen’s commitment to promoting well-being, mental health, and spirituality, as well as recognizing the value of the non-musical activities offered during the event, such as meditation workshops, yoga, talks, outdoor activities, and exhibitions of natural and organic products. Being selected as a finalist among many events on the Iberian Peninsula demonstrates that Pico Zen stood out in its approach and impact. In addition, this distinction could attract more attention to the festival, increasing its visibility and attracting an even larger audience in future editions.

from Diário Insular-José Lourenço-director

Translated to English as a community outreach program from the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Cultures Department (MCLL) as part of Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance)  at California State University, Fresno–PBBI thanks the sponsorship of the Luso-American Development Foundation from Lisbon, Portugal (FLAD)