The Holy Bath of São Bartolomeu do Mar

Every August 24, the small parish of São Bartolomeu do Mar fills with families for one of Portugal’s most striking rituals: the holy bath. Children are carried into the Atlantic and plunged into the freezing water — three, five, seven or nine times — a tradition believed to protect them from fear, stuttering, epilepsy, and other ills. But it must be done before the age of seven.

The custom dates back centuries and is tied to a legend: on this day, the devil roams free, returning to the sea only at nightfall. Until then, the ocean is pure, its waves a shield against evil. The ritual unfolds before a packed shoreline. Shouts of children mix with crashing waves as parents grip them tightly, submerging and lifting them again into the spray. On the beach, crowds watch, some in awe, others in devotion.
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For the people of São Bartolomeu do Mar, the bath is more than spectacle — it is faith made visible, a moment where water, myth, and community come together.

Boom Festival 2025 — 20 Frames of Freedom

Boom, it’s not just a festival. Boom is a living, breathing organism. An experience so immersive that its essence lives on longer than 7 days, the Boom spirit spreads further than the lake near Idanha-a-Nova, Portugal. It’s where bare feet dance on the earth, under one limitless sky and Boomers roam free, part of something ancient, electric, tribal. 

We moved as one, through mud rituals and mandala sunrises. Under the colourful canopy of the Dance Temple, bodies vibrate, souls in a state of trance. Astrix’s sonic journey is the soundtrack to the Ritual of Dance. Victor Ruiz at Alchemy drops deep pulses and bass you can ride. And on Funky Beach during Charlotte de Witte’s surprise set, we dance still. Sun setting, feet in the water, arms in the air, it’s as if the lake itself is grooving. Euphoria.
At Boom you’ll see circus shows that defy gravity. Random encounters can turn into lifelong connections. A floating temple on the lake mysteriously appears closer than the day before, is it a mirage or the work of thousands of happy hands pulling it closer to the shore? Then golden hour in the Being Fields, where the sweet silence sounds new, even unfamiliar. Camper vans, base camp. A haven of rest, meeting points for friends, and shrines of creativity. 

Boom is where every corner holds a surprise, every stranger is just a friend you haven’t met yet. If we’re open to it, every moment is a mirror to see things differently. Boom offers a new vision of reality.

Boom isn’t a place. It’s a state of being ❤️ See you in 2027