Culture
Being both a civil parish and religious community, the population celebrates a mixture of secular and religious celebrations annually. They include the religious festivals of: the Feast Day of São Sebastião (celebrated on the 24 January), São Pedro Gonçalves (January 31), the festival of Nossa Senhora de Fátima (on the Sunday closest to the 13th of May), the Feast of Bom Jesus (August 6) and semi-secular festival of São Martinho (with traditional festivities on 11, 13 and 14 November). In addition, the ubiquitous religious celebration of the Holy Spirit, occurs at Calheta de Nesquim's império and chapel during the Sunday and Monday of Pentecosts. In addition, the community also has a festival of band music supported by the local Filarmónica from 9–11 July, not to mention the Festa da Cabra e Cavala (literally, the "festival of the goat and mackerel") on August 7-8th.
The Sociedade Filarmónica Lira Fraternal Calhetense was formed in 1888, from a small group of Republicans, that included the teacher Manuel Pereira Gomes, who organized a group of fourteen musicians that played until around 1910. After a period of inactivity, a new band was established during the 1920s by a group of youth supported by Father Lourenço of Ribeirinha (then parish priest). In 1930 the Lira Fraternal Calhetense returned, this time under the directorship of Gregório Reis, until he left to form the União Musical Calhetense beginning a rivalry between the established bands in 1934. Some families stopped talking to each other, friends parted ways, as the distinction between the Musica Nova (the "new music"), of the União Musical, and the Musica Velha ("old music") of the traditionalist Lira Fraternal Calhetense. This rivalry would remain bitter as the Lira Fraternal Calhetense was directed by João Ávial de Melo, and would persist until the 1940s when few musicians and financial difficulties would force the integration of both bands. Over the years many musicians and band directors would flow into and out of the Fraternal Calhetense, but none of the antagonisms from the mid-century would persist.
Annually, the Festa da Lira Fraternal Calhetense on the second weekend of July, is a consequence of the elevated stature of this institution to the community. It brings other musical groups from around the island, as well as abroad, for a couple days of concerts.
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