Regenerative festival in Portugal

14 million hectares around the Mediterranean are in danger of turning into a desert. Managing Director Louis De Jaeger lived there himself for years and witnessed the nature reserve where he often went for walks go up in flames. This has not only disastrous consequences for the people living there but also impacts the rest of Europe. This is partly because Europe imports a lot of food from the Mediterranean region, and partly because the vegetation in the south influences the weather patterns in the north.

To tackle this incredibly large scale, it was decided to launch a movement of festivals and events combining land restoration with inspiration and celebration. To put it bluntly: the best things from Burning Man or Tomorrowland and the best things from eco-work camps. This combination is worth its weight in gold, and we proved this during the spring of 2026.

In Cidadelhe, Portugal, about a two-hour drive from Porto, the first edition was organized on approximately 120 hectares, where participants dug many “earth smiles” or “smilands” to the beat of a DJ. Our Portuguese partner James Barrett, together with our scientist Ali Bin Shahid, calculated where and how much of such infrastructure work needs to be carried out to restore sources and reactivate the water cycle.

View the website here and you are welcome at the next edition.