The Municipal Council of Angra do Heroísmo hosted a lively Carnaval “assalto” at the city’s Cultural and Congress Center on Dia das Comadres, transforming the space into a stage for memory, laughter, and generational pride. The initiative sought not only to celebrate the distinctive Carnival traditions of Terceira Island, but also to encourage active participation by the municipality’s senior population in the community’s living culture.

The event formed part of the city’s broader strategy to promote active aging, offering moments of conviviality, storytelling, and cultural affirmation. The program featured a costume contest, a spirited “baile trapalhão” (a playful, improvisational dance), and the sharing of traditional Carnival delicacies—seasonal flavors that carry the scents and textures of Terceira’s festive past.

Designed primarily for the municipality’s older residents, the gathering aimed to strengthen community bonds, spark creativity, and enhance both physical and emotional well-being through engagement in culturally rooted recreational activities. In Angra, Carnival is not merely a performance; it is an inheritance. By placing seniors at the center of the celebration, the city affirmed that tradition survives not in archives but in embodied joy.

“It is a pleasure to witness the enthusiasm our seniors show in preparing for this initiative, which has steadily established itself as a city tradition,” said Mayor Fátima Amorim. “We reaffirm the Municipality’s commitment to continuing to promote actions that foster the active participation of our senior population and strengthen the cultural identity of the municipality.”

In the rhythm of masks and music, Angra once again demonstrated that aging, when accompanied by community and culture, is not withdrawal but presence—and that Carnival, at its heart, belongs to all generations.

From Press Release

Translated into English as a community outreach program by the Portuguese Beyond Borders Institute (PBBI) and the Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures Department (MCLL), in collaboration with Bruma Publication and ADMA (Azores-Diaspora Media Alliance) at California State University, Fresno. PBBI thanks Luso Financial for sponsoring NOVIDADES.