It's June and the energy on the island of Madeira is through the roof... The weather, which is always good, is even better! It has never felt so good to be on a terrace by the sea, gazing out with total clarity at the outline of the Desertas Islands straight ahead, or closer to the sun, on a rooftop in the centre of Funchal, listening to the buzz of the city echoing back at us.
If the arrival of summer wasn't already a cause for celebration in itself, on an island that is always partying like ours, the arrival of the hottest season also comes hand in hand with a major event on the tourist entertainment calendar. We're in the middle of the Atlantic Festival and in the next few paragraphs we're going to explain some of the reasons why you can't and shouldn't miss this great outdoor celebration, which takes place virtually throughout the entire month of June!
Summer Sunsets - Praça do Povo
Summer afternoons by the sea, with live music and beautiful sunsets. Can you think of a more enticing end to the day? During the Atlantic Festival, Praça do Povo hosts the 'Summer Sunsets' initiative. Every day, from 4pm, the terrace tables begin to seduce all those who pass by and stay for the best reasons: music, good weather, regional cuisine and a relaxing atmosphere. There are also two live concerts every day, courtesy of regional artists, which further enhance the experience of an already special sunset. The best thing about all this? The schedule! From Sunday to Thursday until midnight. On Fridays and Saturdays, the sunset lasts until 1am. Tempted?
Regional Arts Week - Placa Central
Strolling along Placa Central da Avenida Arriaga during the Atlantic Festival is an even more enriching experience. The Regional Arts Week adds colour, art and dynamism to the usual landscape composition, featuring the contrast between the Portuguese pavement and the large trees that adorn Avenida Arriaga. For one week, this project run by the Regional Secretariat for Education, Science and Technology puts on display the handicrafts made by the region's school pupils. But this initiative goes beyond artistic expression... Music, dance and theatre are also disciplines that take to the streets during these days, where hundreds of students from the region's various schools showcase their talent.
Sixteenth century market - Baía de Machico
The Atlantic Festival in Madeira is also an occasion to honour and remember the past. Every year, the town of Machico invites ladies and gentlemen to take part in an unforgettable medieval festival that takes place over an entire weekend. The action unfolds in the surroundings of the enchanting Bay, with the Fort of Nossa Senhora do Amparo, the city's main symbol of military architecture, lending its imposing figure to the celebration. What can you expect from the Sixteenth century market, an integral part of the Atlantic Festival? A thrilling journey back to the time of castles, knightly duels and sumptuous banquets. All this is sprinkled with traditional dances, live music, parades and processions alluding to the period. It takes us back more than 500 years and shows us, with emotion, Madeiran life at the end of the Middle Ages. We highly recommend it!
During the month in which the performing arts move from the theatres to the streets, so that everyone can enjoy them, the circus arts take centre stage, and are already an integral part of the Atlantic Festival celebrations in Madeira. Every year, Madeiran and Portuguese artists come together for a weekend of avant-garde performances that combine contemporary dance, acrobatics and music, combining the elements of earth, water, air and fire. Add to all this the right dose of technology and voilà... you've got a memorable show! Don't miss out!
Any pyrotechnic show becomes even more magical in a place like Madeira. Here, when the skies explode with the vibrant colours of the fireworks, they cast a radiant glow in the air, highlighting the island's unique shapes and contours. It's an extraordinary sight! The Atlantic Festival, with the Madeira International Fireworks Competition, features pyrotechnic shows in the Funchal Bay on four Saturdays in June. For this purpose, pyrotechnics companies from three different countries compete every year, with Portugal joining as an honorary member for a fourth show. The combination of fireworks and music makes this experience even more exciting. It's about twenty fascinating minutes, for which we are all eyes and ears!
The Atlantic Festival is a celebration that portrays Madeira's essence so well, bringing together tradition, art and pyrotechnics in a perfect equation. As with equations, the result is pure mathematics: unique moments in this land's paradisiacal setting!
From spectacular sunsets to vibrant artistic events and historical re-enactments, each event is an unrepeatable opportunity to experience the archipelago's culture and magic. In fact, it's only unrepeatable if you want it to be, because you can always come back to Madeira and the Atlantic Festival!
