Spring arrived in the Azores with its familiar cadence—felt not only in the landscape, but lived in the streets. On Terceira Island, that rhythm took shape once again with the opening of the 2026 bullfighting season, which began on May 1 and will extend through October 15, reaffirming a tradition deeply embedded in the island’s cultural identity.

Far from being mere spectacles, these events—rooted in generations of practice—have long served as moments of gathering, belonging, and continuity. They are spaces where community is not simply observed, but enacted: across age groups, across parishes, across time itself. On Terceira, the bullfighting season remains as much about shared memory as it is about performance.

The month of May marked the official opening with a particularly dynamic schedule of 23 events, most of them concentrated in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, which hosted 16, while Praia da Vitória accounted for the remaining seven. This intensity reflected not only the enthusiasm of aficionados, but also the sustained commitment of local organizations to preserve and invigorate one of the Azores’ most emblematic cultural expressions.

The season opened on May 1 with three events: in Cabouco, Fontinhas; in Fonte, Ribeirinha; and in Canada de Belém, Terra-Chã—each marking, in its own way, the return of a collective ritual. In the days that followed, the calendar moved steadily across the island, with early events in Santa Cruz, São Mateus, and Santa Luzia, before extending into parishes such as São Pedro, Posto Santo, São Brás, Altares, São Bento, São Bartolomeu, Conceição, and Sé.

Among the highlights, Espadim Azul hosted events on May 2 and 23, while the Terreiro in Vila de São Mateus welcomed gatherings on May 3 and 27. The Rossio once again became a focal point toward the end of the month, with touradas held on May 28 and 30, alongside a bezerrada on May 29. The final day of May also included events in Outeiro, Conceição, and another bezerrada in Rua do Recreio dos Artistas, in Sé.

Most events began at 6:30 p.m., maintaining the traditional late-afternoon rhythm, with the exception of the May 30 bezerrada in Sé, which was scheduled for 2:00 p.m.

Beyond the arena—or, more precisely, beyond the improvised spaces where rope bullfights unfold through streets and fields—each event contributed to the island’s social and economic vitality. They brought movement to local economies, reinforced communal ties, and sustained a living tradition that continues to evolve without losing its essence.

On Terceira, the bull was never only part of the spectacle. It remained part of the story.

In Diário Insular-José Lourenço-director