Event Tourism: Analysis of Residents’ Perceptions of the São Bento Festivities, Santo Tirso (Portugal)

Popular events have proven to be a key factor for the development of economic and cultural strategies in the regions while contributing to the distinction and prosperity of destinations. In Portugal, festivals and pilgrimages are prominent festivities. Each city, town, and village are full of customs and traditions that combine the sacred and the profane. Therefore, tourists are attracted to visit the territory and simultaneously participate in the various activities, processions, concerts, marches, entertainment, and handicrafts. The São Bento Festivities are secular, and its program includes several activities that combine the religious and the profane. This research has as main goal to analyze the perceptions of residents in the municipality of Santo Tirso regarding its most iconic festivities, the São Bento Festivities. In order to ensure this achievement, data were collected through a questionnaire, conducted between May and June 2022, which had 211 respondents. A survey by interviewing representatives of the various municipal departments responsible for the event was also conducted. The results obtained show that, in general, residents’ perceptions of the São Bento Festivities and its program are positive, meeting the expectations of the event’s organizers.