“Sounds and Memories of the Toco de São Francisco”

The Museu do Linho de Várzea de Calde is joining the popular festivity of the “Queima do Toco” (“Burning of the Log”), on the 3rd of October, which will take place at Largo de S. Francisco in the same village, between 8:30 pm and 11 pm. For the occasion, and exceptionally, the museum will have its doors open and Binaural Nodar will make available to visitors the result of the sound recordings made about the tradition, in the form of the listening post “Sons e Memórias do Toco de São Francisco” (“Sounds and Memories of the Toco de São Francisco”)

The “Queima do Toco” is celebrated in honour of Saint Francis, patron saint of the village of Várzea de Calde (Calde Parish Council, Municipality of Viseu), and consists of pulling a bullock cart loaded with logs which, according to tradition, must be stolen from the forest by unmarried men. The logs, or “tocos”, are then used to light the bonfire at Largo de S. Francisco. The initiative is repeated every year, as tradition dictates, always using the same bullock cart to carry the logs that will be burned in a huge bonfire in the square.