The Best Autumn Events In Lisbon

From film festivals to fashion shows and sailing competitions, these autumn events in Lisbon offers visitors an all-round cultural experience

When the warm summer temperatures start to drop, Portugal’s events calendar heats up. The autumn season welcomes not one but three major film festivals – Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival, Doclisboa and MOTELx – as well as a host of annual celebrations dedicated to music, fashion and sailing. If you’re planning a trip this autumn, add some of these leading events in Lisbon to your itinerary.

OutJazz

The start of autumn brings a summer of jazz to a close. Since May, music enthusiasts have been enjoying live soul, funk, jazz and hip-hop every weekend at OutJazz. I

MOTELx

Kicking off Lisbon’s autumn film festival season is MOTELx, the Lisbon International Horror Film Festival. The festival welcomes film lovers, actors and directors to exclusive talks and screenings of the most recent short- and feature-length horror movies from around the world. Previous editions have been attended by around 18,000 horror enthusiasts and even more frighteningly high numbers are expected for this year’s event.

Caixa Alfama

Caixa Alfama is an annual festival dedicated to Fado, an ancient urban folk style of music. A trip to Lisbon isn’t complete without listening to Fado and this annual festival gives visitors an excellent opportunity to discover the best of Lisbon’s Fado scene. Taking place in the appropriately historical quarter of Alfama, the event presents a programme of performances by musical stars from across the country.

ModaLisboa

Following in the well-heeled footsteps of New York, London, Paris and Milan, Lisbon hosts its own Fashion Week in October, ModaLisboa. While the biannual showcase may not be as famous as its predecessors, it’s gaining traction in the European fashion scene. It’s one of the top fashion events in Lisbon and designers from across Portugal and Europe attend each year to present their latest collections and inspire new trends.

Doclisboa

Doclisboa is more than a screening festival; it also aims to inspire debate. As well showing a busy programme of short and feature-length documentaries from around the world, the festival hosts an open forum in which attendees and filmmakers can discuss the findings of the documentaries they’ve viewed.

Lisbon & Estoril Film Festival

Despite its name, the festival isn’t just a celebration of film; it’s a platform for all of the arts. The event welcomes creative talents from all backgrounds, including filmmakers, artists, writers, philosophers, musicians, actors, choreographers, composers and photographers, who exhibit their latest works in both the capital, Lisbon, and the seaside town of Estoril.