The President of the Ponta Delgada City Council, Pedro Nascimento Cabral, stated that the New Year’s Eve concert featuring the band Expensive Soul continues the strong investment made by the municipality over recent years to position Ponta Delgada as a key destination in national and international Christmas and New Year’s itineraries.
At a press conference held at the City Hall, the mayor noted that the Christmas Market saw a high number of applications for the 12 kiosks available this year.
Pedro Nascimento Cabral remarked that this is a strong sign of attractiveness and participation, justifying the increase in the number of stalls planned by the municipality for 2026.
The Christmas decorative lighting was inaugurated on Friday, and from Monday onward, the historic center will also feature attractions such as a French-style carousel, a train, and the traditional Christmas Market.
Pedro Nascimento Cabral announced that the downtown area will also host Santa Claus’s house and toy workshop, horse-drawn carriage rides, a caterpillar train, a craft fair, and musical entertainment, including 37 itinerant performances.
In addition to the Expensive Soul concert, Sofia Silva & Code and the Live Act by DJ Kevin Piques will perform at the City Gates.
The mayor highlighted other key events in the Christmas and New Year’s program in Ponta Delgada, including the Shop Display Day, the 61st São Silvestre Race, as well as concerts by Vox Cordis and the Orquestra Ligeira de Ponta Delgada, and the grand New Year’s Eve ball at the Coliseu Micaelense.
“We are joined by the Chamber of Commerce, AHRESP, and the Hotel Association in this important mission of positioning Ponta Delgada as a reference tourist destination for Christmas and New Year,” emphasized Pedro Nascimento Cabral.
The President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Ponta Delgada (CCIPD), Gualter Couto, stated that the program signifies a significant public investment, a huge sacrifice by the City Council.
“We see this not as an expense, but as a true investment to position Ponta Delgada as an engine of development for our islands and in its rightful place. It is a special moment for families and a very special moment for our merchants,” he emphasized.
The head in the Azores of the Association of Hotels, Restaurants and Similar Services of Portugal, Cláudia Chaves, praised the city government for deciding to inaugurate the Christmas lights on November 21, bringing greater dynamism and attractiveness to the historic downtown more than a month before Christmas.
Finally, Andreia Pavão, the Azores representative of the Portuguese Hotel Association, congratulated the Ponta Delgada City Council for the Christmas lineup presented, essential to combat the “seasonality” that the sector still faces during the cold season.
