| Madeira Island Events |
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16 to 20 February - Background carnival music in Funchal downtown; - Illumination and decoration alluding to this time of year; Friday, 16 February Activities in Funchal downtown: 10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Funchal Municipal Band 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm- Funchal District Band Afternoon - Puppet Theatre Group Saturday, 17 February Activities in Funchal downtown: Morning - Puppet Theatre Group 10:00 am - 12:30 pm - Canecão Band 10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Funchal Municipal Band 2:00 pm - 6:00 pm - Funchal District Band 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Canecão Band 9:00 pm - Grand Carnival Float Pageant involving seven groups with a total of 1,500 participants. Route: Starting from the Praça da Autonomia (South side), going along Avenida do Mar and Avenida das Comunidades Madeirenses (Southbound), crossing to the Northbound side (in front of Marina Shopping) then going up Rua Dias Leite, Rotunda do Infante, Av. Arriaga (Northbound side - as far as the Banco de Portugal), Avenida Zarco (Northbound side), Rua Câmara Pestana and Praça do Município. 11:00 pm - The end of the Grand Float Pageant and an exhibition of all the participating groups’ floats at Praça do Município. Sunday, 18 February Activities in Funchal downtown: 10:00 am - 12:30 pm - Canecão Band 10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Funchal Municipal Band 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Canecão Band 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Funchal District Band Afternoon - Puppet Theatre Group Monday, 19 February Activities in Funchal downtown: 10:00 am - 12:30 pm - Canecão Band 10:00 am - 2:00 pm - Funchal Municipal Band 3:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Funchal District Band 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm - Canecão Band Afternoon - Puppet Theatre Group Tuesday, 20 February 4:00 pm - Bungler's Pageant, free for all. Background carnival music along the route and the sound support of the Bungler's Pageant; 8:30 pm - Closing ceremony with a Public Ball and a musical group at Praça do Município. April April 21 to April 22 Flower Festival Every year, two weeks after Easter, Madeira’s flower-festival fills the main streets of Funchal’s centre with floats displaying a myriad of flowers and colours. On the eve before the street parade, thousands of children gather in the Praça do Município where they build a ‘Wall of Hope’, made of thousands of flowers. Other accompanying activities during this time are the making of flower carpets in the streets, folklore performances, flower shows, classical music concerts and variety shows. June From 1 to 30 June Atlantic Festival The Atlantic Festival is organised by the Regional Secretariat of Tourism and Culture and is an important event that combines entertainment and culture. It has three components: the Madeira Music Festival, the International Fireworks Competition and performances by philharmonic bands in Funchal’s centre. During this festival classical music performances are held in eminent sites of the region, such as Palácio de São Lourenço, Teatro Municipal Balthazar Dias, Casa das Mudas, and several churches in Funchal. This festival also comprises the International Fireworks Competition, in which, on every Saturday in June, contestants from different countries organise magnificent firework displays in harmony with accompanying music. September From 31 August to 2 September Madeira Wine Festival Recalling the social and economic importance of Madeira wine by reliving old wine-growing traditions, the Madeira Wine Festival is held in September during the main period of grape harvesting. The festival begins in the village of Câmara de Lobos with the actual picking of the grapes, the pickers’ parade, the treading of the grapes and other related traditions that are enjoyed by locals and visitors alike. In the centre of Funchal, the Madeira Wine Festival includes light, sound and folk shows, all related to old wine-making traditions, and many stands serve the for the season typical Madeiran food and drink specialities. Columbus Festival This event is dedicated to the great navigator Christopher Columbus who had a close connection to Madeira and also lived a few years in Porto Santo. This week-long festival is held in Vila Baleira on Porto Santo Island and features lots of music, drama, exhibitions, parades and street parties, recalling the glorious times of the Portuguese discoveries. Columbus’ first visit to Madeira was in 1478, as in those times Funchal was an important sugar trade centre. However, his closest ties to the archipelago are resulting from his marriage to Filipa Moniz, daughter of the first captain-donee of Porto Santo. Columbus lived in the archipelago during the last quarter of the 15th century and his first child Diogo was born in Porto Santo. This festival recalls the discoverer’s life in the Madeira Archipelago, his voyages to the Americas and the glorious times of the Great Discoveries. The highlight of this week crammed with history is the re-enactment of Columbus’ and his party’s arrival in Porto Santo’s harbour. October October 14th Regional Band Meeting In the month of October, at the end of the traditional religious feasts, the village of Ribeira Brava hosts the annual Regional Meeting of Bands. This cultural and tourism oriented event was created in an attempt to preserve Madeira’s musical heritage and to publicly pay tribute to the Philharmonic bands for their joyful contribution to the public entertainment and Madeira’s traditional feasts. This event takes place in the early afternoon on Sunday with a procession of all the regional bands throughout Ribeira Brava’s main streets. After the parade, the bands gather in the coastal promenade and each band presents its individual repertoire, usually lasting about 10 minutes. The meeting ends with a combined anthem, composed specifically for the occasion. After the trophies have been handed out, a big party, where everybody is invited to participate, takes place. November 07 December 07 January 08 17 November to 06 January 2008 Christmas & New Year’s Activities Christmas and the end of the year celebrations are deeply rooted in the traditions of the people of Madeira and a varied programme of cultural, folk and artistic events can be enjoyed in Funchal’s centre. The festive season starts in Madeira in November when the colourful illuminations are switched on in the city’s main streets and lasts all through December to end only with Epiphany on January 06th. Already from mid-November on Funchal’s streets are magnificently decorated with innumerable colourful lights put up in motifs relating to the island and the festive season. New Year’s Eve is celebrated everywhere on the island, in hotels, restaurants, bars, and even in the streets. The highlight of the New Year’s Eve festivities are spectacular fireworks – set off from approximately 50 posts – that illuminate the skies over Funchal for the duration of about ten minutes. This is a truly unforgettable event, which brings back a multitude of visitors to the island each year. |
