Fadistas Sing in Sausalito to Fund Youth Sailing Exchange Program With Portugal

On Saturday, January 30, you can transport yourself to the ancient Alfama district of Lisbon, Portugal in Sausalito’s old town at the historic Pines Mansion where you will enjoy the captivating music of internationally renowned Fadistas singing traditional Portuguese Fado. It is a benefit for the Sausalito Youth Sailing Foundation to help send student sailors from the Sausalito Yacht Club youth sailing program to race at Clube Naval in Cascais, Portugal. Last summer, student sailors from Portugal came to Sausalito and sailed as part of the first-ever, international youth sailing and cultural exchange sponsored by the Sausalito–Cascais Sister City program and this July, students from Marin will travel to Portugal to sail.  

Fado is a form of urban folk music in Portugal dating back to the 1800’s, that is often considered the national song of Portugal. Fado singers, or fadistas, are accompanied by guitarists; they sing passionately about love, joy, sadness, pain and hope. It is a dramatic genre and makes for a good show. If you’ve never heard Fado, and you’ve never seen the Pines…both are well worth the price of admission to this event.

“Hosting a Fado Night celebrates the Portuguese heritage here in Sausalito as well as our cultural exchange with our sister city in Cascias and, at the same time, it’s a fundraiser for a great cause – our youth sailing exchange program,” said Jock Rystrom who serves on both the Sausalito Youth Sailing Foundation board and is a flag officer at the Sausalito Yacht Club where he has overseen the club’s youth sailing program for many years.

The Pines Mansion (built in 1888) is an ideal venue for the event where the ambiance of a “Clube de Fado” can be totally recreated in the large wine cellar of the beautiful estate.  In addition to the music, the evening will feature Portuguese wines donated by Vini Portugal (Wines of Portugal) and a buffet of pesticos (Portuguese tapas). 

For more information and tickets ($75 in advance; $85 at the door) go to fadoatthepines.com

Complimentary shuttle service will be provided from Sausalito City Hall & the top of Spencer Avenue; street parking is very limited.