Thousands of people gathered at Praça do Povo, on the city’s waterfront, to watch a fireworks display and enjoy a large LED screen featuring videos related to Madeira, along with a stage for performances.
The President of the Regional Government of Madeira, Miguel Albuquerque, attended the start of the celebrations of the Festa, a name for the Christmas season in Madeira, which will run until January 7th.
Albuquerque emphasized that the lights were ready on time because the installation began in October, but insisted that the lights should continue to be inaugurated on this date. “We’re not going to do like Venezuela, where they inaugurate the lights in September,” he stated, adding, “December 1st is a good date, and a month of lights is enough.”
The lighting covers the main avenues and streets of all the parishes of Funchal, including public buildings, monuments, squares, plazas, churches, forts, palaces, streams, and gardens.
Today, as part of the Christmas and New Year Festivities program organized by the regional secretary of Tourism, Environment, and Culture, the Christmas Market opened in the central strip of Avenida Arriaga with 25 stalls, the Ethnographic Village in Largo da Restauração, and a life-sized Nativity scene located near Funchal Cathedral.
On November 27th, during a press conference, the regional secretary responsible, Eduardo Jesus, announced that the festive program involves around 2,700 people and will feature a total of 154 artistic performances, including 50 concerts, 10 street parades and animation, 13 choir performances, 39 folklore groups, 30 philharmonic bands, and five DJs.
The highlight will be the fireworks display on New Year’s Eve, themed “Love Madeira — A Passionate Encounter of Madeira with the World,” lasting eight minutes. Fireworks will be launched from 58 firing points — 26 located in the amphitheater, 25 along the waterfront avenue, and five on boats off the bay.
Regarding expected hotel occupancy, the official estimate is a rate of 75.9% on December 24th, 25th, and 26th, and 88.3% between the 30th and 31st of the month, slightly surpassing last year’s figures.
Municipalities across Madeira, including Câmara de Lobos, Santa Cruz, and Ribeira Brava, have also invested in lighting initiatives, contributing hundreds of thousands of euros to bring more color and light to various localities.
