MADEIRA ISLAND EVENTS CALENDER
Christmas & New Year Festivities
December 2011
8th December – Full lighting up of the Christmas lights and decorations
19th December - Campeonato da Madeira Profissional - Strokeplay - Palheiro Golf
31st December – Firework Display
6th January 2012 – Epiphany and Closing Ceremony of the Festivities
Well established in the habits of the people of Madeira, Christian Christmas traditions lead into the celebrations that commemorate the arrival of the new year with a rich and varied programme of cultural, ethnographical and artistic events, beginning in November with the switching on of the lights in the streets in the centre of Funchal and continuing throughout December until Epiphany – the Twelfth Day of Christmas.
The high point is New Year's Eve when the Funchal amphitheatre is transformed into a grandiose nativity scene illuminated with over 250 coloured lamps and the hillsides are pinpricked by white lights. The scene is set for an unforgettable spectacle.
At midnight on 31st December the skies are lit up with fire, colour and hope in the forthcoming year which could not get off to a better start – a moment already recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.
Golf Tournaments
21st January - Torneio de Abertura - Medal - Santo da Serra
28th January - Campeonato da Madeira MidAmateurs - Medal - Palheiro
30th January - Campeonato da Madeira Profissional - Strokeplay - Santo da Serra
Carnival
15th to 22nd February 2012
18th February - Great Allegoric Parade
21st February - Fun Parade
The Carnival, or Mardi Gras, celebrations in Madeira take the form of a great parade of floats the Saturday before Shrove Tuesday and remain an essentially folk festival. Numerous Samba groups with thousands of participants in magnificent and colourful costumes dance to electrifying Samba music through the streets of Funchal, spreading an ambiance evoking the Carnival of Rio.
In this week of healthy madness the joy invades hotels, bars and clubs, and the main streets of Funchal city turning them into permanent parties. In an atmosphere of effusive revelry there are surprising examples of creativity and imagination and there is no shortage of daring caricatures in the Fun Parade costume parade on Shrove Tuesday.
Golf Tournaments
18th February - Campeonato Absoluto - Strokeplay - Palheiro
19th February - Campeonato de Jovens - Strokeplay - Santo
25th February - Campeonato da Madeira de MidAmateurs - Medal - Santo
27th February - Campeonato da Madeira Profissional - Strokeplay - Porto Santo
3rd March - Campeonato da Madeira Absoluto - Strokeplay - Santo da Serra<
10th March - Campeonato da Madeira de Categorias - Strokeplay - Porto Santo
11th March - Campeonato da Madeira Absoluto - Strokeplay - Porto Santo
24th March - Campeonnato da Madeira Pares - Foursomes - Santo da Serra
25th March - Campeonato da Madeira de Jovens - Strokeplay - Palheiro
26th March - Campeonato da Madeira Profissional - Strokeplay - Palheiro
Flower Festival
19th and 25th April – Entertainment in downtown Funchal
21st April – The Wall of Hope Ceremony (Children's Parade)
22nd April – Great Allegoric Parade
Madeira's flowers are celebrated every Spring with a festival in their honour and in 2011 this celebration will take place in May.
During the "Festa da Flor" Funchal's main streets are invaded by a procession of allegorical floats which display a huge array of flowers, filling the air with delicate perfumes. On the eve of the flower procession thousands of children gather in the Praça do Município where they lay flowers to build what is known as the "Wall of Hope".
Apart from these events there are also other initiatives including the creation of flower carpets, the Flower Exhibition in Largo da Restauração, performances by folk groups, classical music concerts and a wide selection of entertainment.
Golf Tournaments
19th/22nd April - Campeonato Nacional Absoluto - Strokeplay - Santo Estêvão
21st April - Circuito Júnior - Porto Santo
23rd April - Campeonato da Madeira Profissional - Strokeplay - Santo da Serra
28th April - Campeonato da Madeira de MidAmateurs - Medal - Porto Santo
29th April - Campeonato Pitch & Putt - Strokeplay - Porto Santo
Madeira Island Open (PGA European Tour) – Santo da Serra Golf
17th to 20th May
Madeira Film Festival
2nd to 6th May
Golf Tournament – LES DRIVES DE SAINT-TROPEZ
30th May to 3rd June 2012
Golf Tournaments
12th May - Campeonato da Madeira de Categorias - Strokeplay - Palheiro
17th/20th May - Open da Madeira - Strokeplay - Santo da Serra
26th May - Campeonato da Madeira de Categorias - Strokeplay - Santo da Serra
27th May - Circuito Júnior - Santo da Serra
28th May - Campeonato da Madeira Profissional - Strokeplay - Palheiro
2nd June - Campeonato Jovens - Strokeplay - Porto Santo
3rd June - Campeonato Pitch & Putt - Strokeplay - Porto Santo
2nd/3rd June - Campeonato Nacional MidAmateurs - Strokeplay - Vidago
8th/10th June - Campeonato Nacional de Pares - Strokeplay - Oporto Golfe Club
16th/17th June - Campeonato Nacional Pitch & Putt - Strokeplay - City Golf
18th June - Campeonato da Madeira Profissional - Strokeplay - Santo da Serra
Every Saturday - Atlantic Festival
9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th June 2012 - Fireworks Contest
Taking place over the whole of the month of June, this event incorporates the Madeira Music Festival, the International Firework Competition as well as performances by various philharmonic bands. The programme includes classical music concerts, fireworks, dance and street performances...
Every Saturday night in June the bay of Funchal is the stage for firework displays combining strident sound and a wealth of colour with music from every country participating in the festival. The musical firework displays make Funchal vibrate and echo up the steep hillsides for 20 minutes, inspiring everybody who is able to enjoy this stunning spectacle.
XXIV Classic Car Rally (FIVA World Rally)
June 2012 (days to be confirmed)
Sé Festival
(days to be confirmed)
Towards the end of May the centre of Funchal is the place to be on the island – this is when the typical Madeira “arraial” or street party is recreated. The streets and cafés terraces between the Praça do Município and the Igreja da Sé (Cathedral) are decorated and throb with people.
The restaurants in Rua de João Tavira, Rua do Bispo, Rua da Queimada de Cima, Rua da Queimada de Baixo and Rua dos Ferreiros all take part in this initiative so that all visitors have the opportunity to taste the local delicacies, snacks and traditional Madeira drinks.
As with all "arraias", there are performances by philharmonic bands, student musical troupes and other musical groups providing constant entertainment every day.
The aim of the annual "Festas da Sé" is to provide the city with quality entertainment that brings alive its traditions and reinforces its cultural identity.
Royal Savoy Classic
(days to be confirmed)
Ribeiro Big Game Fishing Tournament
(days to be confirmed)
Palheiro Open
17th June 2012
Blue Marlin World Cup
4th July
Golf Tournaments
1st July - Circuito Júnior - Palheiro
10th/13th July - Campeonato Nacional de Jovens - Strokeplay - Montado
28th July - Regional de Clubes - Strokeplay - Palheiro
29th July - Regional de Clubes - Strokeplay - Santo da Serra
4th August - Porto Santo Summer - Medal - Porto Santo
11st August - Campeonato da Madeira Pares - Foursomes - Porto Santo
30th August to 2nd September - Campeonato Nacional de Clubes - Strokeplay - Oceânico Faldo
Funchal Jazz
(days to be confirmed)
In 2012, the city of Funchal will host another edition of Funchal Jazz. This is a momentous event on the international jazz festival circuit and an important cultural initiative that contributes towards the promotion and visibility of Madeira as a destination at a national and international level.
As always, Funchal Jazz presents a selection of internationally renowned musicians, occasioning cultured evenings in one of the city's most emblematic gardens, Parque de Santa Catarina.
The festival attracts both locals and visitors, creating an inspiring atmosphere for many local musicians. This event is promoted by the Câmara Municipal do Funchal (Funchal Municipality) that seeks to stimulate and enrich the region's cultural scene and the standard of performance with this initiative.
Madeira Wine Rally (European Rally Championship)
2nd to 4th August 2012
Madeira Wine Festival
26th August to 2nd September 2012 – Entertainment in downtown Funchal
1st September – Live Harvest in Estreito de Camâra de Lobos
Reflecting the socio-economic importance of Madeira wine, the “Festa do Vinho da Madeira”, which takes place at harvest time at the beginning of September, recreates old local traditions which have existed since the time of the early settlers.
In Estreito de Câmara de Lobos the fun begins with the harvest itself. Grape picking, processions of grape pickers, treading the grapes and the whole ritual of the typical Madeira street party are enjoyed with enthusiasm by all who take part in the festivities.
In the centre of Funchal there are various allegorical shows of sound, light and folklore related to wine and wine-making.
Golf Tournaments
3rd/4th September - Campeonato da Madeira Profissional - Strokeplay - Porto Santo
24th/25th September - Campeonato da Madeira Profissional - Strokeplay - Santo da Serra
Columbus Festival - Porto Santo Festivities
13th to 15th September 2012
Golf Tournaments
1st/2nd October - Campeonato da Madeira Profissional - Strokeplay - Palheiro
6th October - Torneio das Ilhas - Medal - Palheiro
7th October - Torneio das Ilhas - Medal - Santo da Serra
13th October - Torneio das Ilhas - Medal - Porto Santo
Madeira Nature Festival
1st to 7th October 2012
Oktoberfest Golf Week
October 2012 (days to be confirmed)
Anniversary Salver
October 2012
Relais and Chateaux Golf Tournament
(days to be confirmed)
Gastronomy Weekend at Casa Velha with guest Chef
(days to be confirmed)
Casa Velha do Palheiro, Madeira, part of the Relais & Chateaux collection of hotels, will be hosting a gastronomic weekend on 21 and 22 October 2011.
The Casa Velha do Palheiro team of chefs will be joined by world renowned Chef Albano who is the executive chef at Quinta das Lágrimas Hotel, in Coimbra. He is responsible for the ‘Arcadas de Capela’ which is situated within this historic 14th Century manor house.
For bookings: catia.afonso@palheiroestate.com
11st October - Torneio Encerramento - Medal - Palheiro
Funchal International Film Festival
10th to 17th November 2012
End of the Year Madeira Festivities
1st December – Beginning of the illuminations in Downtown Funchal
8th December to 6th January 2013 – General illumination of Funchal Amphitheatre
14th December to 6th January 2013 – Christmans Decorations and Exhibitions in downtown Funchal
31st December - New Year's Eve Firework Display