They consist of a thematic competition between teams that dress up with handmade outfits to march and dance through an open avenue or closed arena to the sound of popular music, mixing motifs of Portuguese summer culture, like "manjerico" and the sea.
[3] All districts of Lisbon become rivals for one night and compete for the podium of the contest, that is broadcast live on national television from the famous Avenida da Liberdade.
[4] Some teams, like the child march of Voz do Operário,[5] participate in the event as pure guests, and do not engage in the competition, that takes place exclusively among the neighbourhoods.
[7] Although the official showcase and event happens on 12 June, the preparation for the Marches starts months before, for the teams to design and practice their performance.
[8] The podium of the several editions of the Marchas Populares was the following: The following table shows the number of top places achieved by each district, from 1990 to 2023.