The Festival of the Trays is Tomar’s main community celebration and is one of the most charismatic collective practices and manifestations that take place in Portugal. It is held every four years, in the first days of July.
The history of this celebration is connected to the cult of the Holy Spirit, which was presumably particularly dear to Queen Saint Elizabeth, wife of King Dinis. Strongly rooted all over Portugal, namely in the Azores archipelago, the cult of the Holy Spirit has its most peculiar expression in the city of Tomar.
The central element of the festivities are the colourful trays that make up the big procession that takes to the streets on Sunday. The tray must be as tall as the girl leading it, and must be decorated with paper flowers, ears of wheat, as well as 30 loaves of bread, each weighing 400 grams, lined up on the reeds of the wicker basket on which the tray sits, which must be adorned with a white embroidered cloth. On top of the tray is a crown, topped by the Cross of Christ or the Dove of the Holy Spirit.
The great procession of the trays begins with the fogueteiros (firecrackers), dressed in white with a red ribbon, followed by the gaiteiros (pipers) and the bands. Then follows the Pendão (banner at the head of processions) of the Holy Spirit, carried by the Mayor, followed by the guests of honour who carry three crowns, followed by the Pendões (banners) and Crowns of all the parishes of the municipality, accompanied by their respective ornamented trays and carried by couples.
The couples follow a traditional way of dressing. The women are dressed in white with a coloured ribbon across the chest, carrying the trays on their heads, while the men must wear a white shirt, dark trousers, a hat on the shoulder and a tie the same colour as the girl’s ribbon.
On the Festival of the Trays, besides the great tray parade, there is also the Parade of the Boys, the Parade of the Butler, and the Partial Parades. The streets are decorated by the population, using flowers, bread, and ears of wheat, acquiring a unique colourful appearance.