If you’re going to Madeira, it’s very likely you’ll encounter a festival, be it a festival of vegetables, fruits, wine or folklore. Though the biggest festival in Madeira takes place in spring. It’s called the Flower Festival and it’ll take place from 02.05 to 26.05 in 2024.
Where did the Madeira Flower Festival come from?
Though flowers bloom in Madeira all year round, they’re certainly the most beautiful in late April and early May here. The locals dedicated to the art of cultivating the most lovely flowers decided that a celebration of said flowers is in order. And so, in 1954, they organised a flower exhibition to show off their plants to the whole island. The event was such a success that the authorities decided to organise it every year. Sometimes it really is this simple.
What does the Flower Festival look like?
The event starts with a Children’s Parade, where thousands of Madeira’s children march to the main square in Funchal, all colourfully dressed and with flowers in their hands. There, they arrange the flowers into a symbolic “Wall of Hope.” The culmination of this mini-parade is the release of pigeons and performances by said children.
The main parade tends to consist of lines of colourful processions of platforms decorated with colourful flowers, hundreds of dancers moving along to the music and even more local residents joining them in fancy clothing of their own. The whole of Funchal is decorated with sculptures made of live flowers and intricate floral carpets prepared by the local community.
Then, there’s also the main event, the flower exhibition. Growers from all over Madeira show off their flowers. These plants are then judged in various categories and winners get prizes.
What else is worth seeing in Madeira at this time?
The festival is also accompanied by numerous fashion shows, regional dances and concerts. You can take a moment to take a seat in a restaurant, order a glass of delicious Madeira wine and listen to the various music performances. During the day, head to the beautifully decorated local food markets and sample their delicacies.
There’ll also usually be other seasonal events taking place at the same time as the Flower Festival. For instance, in 2024, Trans Madeira will coincide with it, which is a mountain biking race, taking place from the 21st to 25th of May. There’s also going to be the Classic Car Revival event (24-26 May), meaning a showcase of the best vintage cars on the island. You can see all the various events on Madeira on its official website, at https://visitmadeira.com/en/whats-on/events/.
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