May 9th to 15th
“The Route of Flowers – from the Farmers’ Market to Infante’s Roundabout” – Performances by local folk dancing groups, multiple exhibitions, music and floral decorations
Floral Carpets – Arriaga Avenue central square, in front of the Cathedral and the Baltazar Dias Municipal Theatre
Flower Market – Arriaga Avenue central square, opposite to the Tourist Information Centre
“Endemic Route: Dactylorhiza Foliosa” – Arts project in the northern garden of São Lourencço Palace
58th Flower Exhibition at Restauração Square (Largo da Restauração) – Organised by the Regional Board for the Environment and Natural Resources
“Madeira Embroidery inspired by Flowers” – Organised by the Madeira Wine, Embroidery and Handicraft Institute (IVBAM) - Arriaga Avenue central square, opposite to Loja do Cidadão from 10 am to 8 pm.

Madeira storks bill Geranium madeirensis

Thursday, May 9th
Official opening of the Flower Festival
3 pm – 8 pm – Performances in Funchal downtown by the Camacha Cultural and Recreational Association
3 pm – 6 pm – Project “Flowers and Gastronomy” – Carving Show: flowers' decorations - Chafariz Square (Largo do Chafariz)
Project “Perfume Party”:
4 pm – 6 pm – "Madeira Wine Blind Aroma Experience" - Arriaga Avenue central square, opposite to the Tourist Information Centre
5:30pm–“PerfumeParade”:young people in typical regional costume offering scents and perfumes -Arriaga Avenue central square, opposite to the Tourist Information Centre
6 pm – Opening of the exhibition “Perfumed Painting” with a concert by the mandolin player Maestro Norberto Cruz followed by a Madeira Wine tasting experience - Espacço Infoarte of the Regional Board of Tourism (until May 15th)

Friday, May 10th
10 am – 1 pm – Project “Flowers and Gastronomy” – Carving Show: flowers' decorations - Chafariz Square (Largo do Chafariz)
10 am – 3 pm – Performances in Funchal downtown by the Boa Nova Ethnographic and Folk Group
3 pm – 6:30 pm – Event “Casar na Madeira / Getting Married in Madeira”– display of bridal dresses and sweets, cake tasting and musical entertainment - Phelps Square
3 pm – 8 pm – Performances in Funchal downtown by the Folk Group of Casa do Povo da Camacha

Saturday, May 11th
Children's Parade and Wall of Hope Ceremony:
9 am – Children gathering at Arriaga Avenue, in front of the Municipal Garden
10 am – Children's Parade – Itinerary: Arriaga Avenue, Zarco Avenue, Câmara Pestana Road and Municipal Square (Praça do Municipio)
11 am – Symbolic construction of the Wall of Hope at the Municipal Square – Release of pigeons and live show for children by an entertainment group
10 am – 1 pm – Project “Flowers and Gastronomy” – Themed workshops: Scabbard fish and pork marinated in wine and garlic: history and preparation - Chafariz Square (Largo do Chafariz)
10 am – 2 pm – Event “Casar na Madeira / Getting Married in Madeira”– display of bridal dresses and sweets and cake tasting, floral decorations and musical entertainment - Phelps Square (Largo do Phelps)
10 am – 8 pm – II Reid’s Palace Classic Auto Show – Estrada Monumental from Edifício Baia main entrance to Paz Square (Largo da Paz)
3 pm – 8 pm – Performances in Funchal downtown by the Boa Nova Ethnographic and Folk Group

Sunday, May 12th
10 am – 3 pm – Performances in Funchal downtown by the Folk Group of Casa do Povo da Camacha
10 am – 1 pm – Project “Flowers and Gastronomy” – Themed workshops: Honey Cake : History and preparation - Chafariz Square (Largo do Chafariz)
2 pm – 6 pm – Event “Casar na Madeira / Getting Married in Madeira”– wide range of entertainment activities | Phelps Square (Largo do Phelps)
4 pm – Flower Festival Parade
Itinerary: Departure from Autonomia Square (Praça da Autonomia), Avenida do Mar e das Comunidades Madeirenses (north lane), Francisco Sá Carneiro Roundabout and ends at Mar Square (Praça do Mar).
- Floats exhibition at Mar Square (Praça do Mar) until May 14th

Monday, May 13th
10 am – 3 pm – Performances in Funchal downtown by the Boa Nova Ethnographic and Folk Group
10 am – 1 pm – Project “Flowers and Gastronomy” – Themed workshops: Regional Fruit and Vegetables – An orchard in the Atlantic - Chafariz Square (Largo do Chafariz)
3 pm – 8 pm – Performances in Funchal downtown by Monteverde Folk Group

Tuesday, May 14th
10 am – 3 pm – Performances in Funchal downtown by the Boa Nova Ethnographic and Folk Group
4 pm – 6:30 pm – Project “Flowers and Gastronomy” – Regional sweets preparation and demonstration - Chafariz Square (Largo do Chafariz)

Wednesday, May 15th
10 am – 3 pm – Performances in Funchal downtown by the Monteverde Folk Group
Project “Perfume Party”: 4 pm – 6 pm – "Madeira Wine Blind Aroma Experience" – Arriaga Avenue central square, opposite to the Tourist Information Centre
5:30 pm – “Perfume Parade”: young people in typical regional costume offering scents and perfumes – Arriaga Avenue central squares opposite to the Tourist Information Centre
6 pm – Presentation of the Perfume Isle of Madeira with concert by the mandolin player Maestro Norberto Cruz - Espaço Infoarte of Regional Board of Tourism

Source: Madeira Tourism Board

On the 4th, 5th and 6th of July 2013 Madeira is hosting the 14th edition of Funchal Jazz Festival. Year after year this jazz festival is gaining quality and it makes more difficult to choose the performers for the coming festival... But Funchal Jazz Organisation has overcome the challenges and always surprise us with great names of the Jazz world. And 2013 is no different! This year the central garden of Santa Catarina Park, in Funchal, will be the stage for the legendary Chick Corea & The Vigil.

Chick Corea is a versatile musician, covering areas as symphonic music or children's songs and has won 18 Grammy in 50 years of an intensive career. The remain program with the other performers is being finalized and will be published soon.

So, if you do like Jazz, book your holiday in Madeira for the first week of July and ally a relaxing holiday with three fantastic Jazz evenings!

For the 6th consecutive year Funchal is holding an International Film Festival in Baltazar Dias Theatre, from the 12th to the 19th of November 2011 and this time it will make a tribute to two important men in the universe of cinema: Terry Jones, a British known by his innovations in the comedy world and Roberto Farias, a Brazilian with many feature films produced and directed.

The Programme of the 6th Funchal International Film Festival is divided into the Films competition with several categories and with some special screennings:

Competitive Programme:

• International Competition for Feature Films
• International Competition for Short Films
• Premiere Madeira - competitive section for films produced in Madeira Island
• Naval Video Sub - special section for sea movies

Special Screennings:

• Opening Film
• International Year Comemorations
• Special Retrospective for the Faria's Family
• AnimArte - special programme for the young audience
• Homage
• Closing Ceremony

The schedules and titles of each film will be disclosed soon and you will easily get it in Baltazar Dias Theatre, downtown Funchal or at your hotel.

The Funchal Jazz Festival has evolved gradually and it is now a major magnet for the so-called cultural tourism and a landmark event in the cultural life of Funchal city.

This 12th edition of Funchal Jazz Festival proves that we can always improve and do better when working with aim of excellence. All the musicians that make up the poster of this festival are unique jazz and blues talented personalities.

On Thursday, July 7th, John Scofield Quartet will be on stage led by one of the greatest jazz guitarists of our time, master of improvisation and composer of great stylistic diversity - John Scofield. This first day of Funchal Jazz Festival will close with the original sound of the Danilo Perez Trio, the pianist and composer of Panamanian origin who has carved a solid reputation in the international jazz scene as a musician but also as a teacher.

Friday's programme, July 8th, brings us two examples of great musical complicity. In the first part of the night we will have Branford Marsalis and Joey Calderazzo who had a long way together, as the pianist Calderazzo was part of Marsalis Quartet for more than ten years. Branford Marsalis, saxophonist known for his innovative spirit, will also act with his quartet.



Branford Marsalis


On the second part of Friday's night the City of Funchal and Funchal Jazz Festival organization will make tribute to a very special Portuguese musician - Rui Veloso. Currently celebrating 30 years of a career filled with awards and great successes, Rui Veloso continues to be a reference in the Portuguese music since 1980, when he released his first album. So this second concert will bring the blues back to Funchal Jazz and will star Rui Veloso with his friend Todd Sharpeville, a talented guitarist, singer and composer, member of one of the oldest aristocratic families in the UK, impresses his public by mixing pop sensibilities with the deepest feelings of blues.

To end this 12th edition of the Funchal Jazz Festival, on Saturday, July 9th, we are pleased to announce a great jazz diva. Winner of two Grammy Cassandra Wilson is a blessed singer with a unique voice, that seems to flow effortlessly and allows one to reinvent the boundaries of vocal jazz. She is an established artist in the world, but deep down still a Mississippi girl whose art reflects her deep cultural roots.



Cassandra Wilson


Alongside the concerts which take place on the main stage, framed by the lush gardens of the Parque de Santa Catarina, there will be room for the traditional Jazz / Blues / World Record Fair.

The Madeira Flower Festival is a celebration of Spring and Nature and in 2011 the theme of the Festival is "The flower I chose".



Madeira storks bill Geranium madeirensis


Since the 5th of May 2011 one could already admire flowers in downtown Funchal with the Flower Market on Avenida Arriaga and with the natural flowers' tapestries being done.

An exhibition of flowers is held on Largo da Restauração and can be visited until the 10th May 2011.

Saturday morning is time for children to fill in the Wall of Hope with flowers on Praça do Município and on Sunday afternoon the highlight of the Madeira Flower Festival happens on Funchal roads with a parade of hundreds of dancing people colored with flowers.