Feira dos Capões

The "Feira dos Capões", well known for being the fair of the castrated roosters, takes place at the Freamunde parish on december 13th. It is the only event of that kind in Portugal and it has taken place at least since the 15th century and it was oficialized by a king's decree on August 3rd 1719. According to the specialists, the fact that a rooster is castrated makes him fatter and stimulates his growth, thus making his meat better tasting. Passed on throughout the generations, the art of castrating demands great skill and precision. Otherwise, the rooster may become "rinchão", that is badly castrated and with a meat of worse quality. The organization promotes a gastronimc contest before the event, "Capão à Freamunde", that includes the main local restaurants. About one thousand "capões" are bred each year in Freamunde.