12 Doubts about Madeira Flower Festival you should clarify
Home » Events »This post contains all the information you want to know about the 2023 Madeira Flower Festival. I’ll add content regularly, so be sure to check for updates. (Last updated on 23.04.23).
When people think about the Madeira Flower Festival, they imagine a happy and colourful event. Nevertheless, many important questions are still not found answered anywhere. So, today I want to share the best advice and answers to all frequently asked questions about the Flower Festival in Madeira. And you won’t want to miss anything, that’s for sure!
The questions I often get asked are:
1. What is the Madeira Flower Festival?
2. When is the Flower Festival?
3. What time does the parade begin and finish? How long does the parade last?
4. How long before do you need to find a position to stand? Is there a bus we can catch? Will taxis be working?
5. Where would be the best place to get a good view of the parade?
6. Flower Festival tickets: where can I book a seat for the flower grandstand? How much is a ticket?
7. Where must we see flower carpets and the Wall of Hope?
8. How do we find the schedule of the Flower Festival?
9. When is the flower festival next year?
10. On average, what is the weather like in Funchal in May?
11. Is it worth going to the flower festival?
12. Looking for an Unforgettable Flower Festival Experience? Want to Know How We Can Help?
To answer that, keep reading, but first, let me tell you:
1. What is the Madeira Flower Festival?
The Madeira Flower Festival is an annual event that attracts hundreds of spectators worldwide and is one of the most beautiful events you may ever see!
This glorious Flower Festival celebrates the start of Spring and the lush growth of plants, which is more intense in Madeira because of the subtropical climate.
The preparations begin many months before, with the festival theme, fabrics and flower choice, costume design, flower carpets, and floats. After that, a lot of work goes into making the decorations, costumes, and the dancer’s training.
How do we celebrate?
Madeira is very busy for most of the season. The celebration starts on Saturday. Thousands of children gather in Praça do Município Square to participate in the “construction” of the flower wall — the Wall of Hope. On the second day, there is a magnificent parade with dancers dressed in flower costumes and a display of dozens of allegorical floats covered with a sea of flowers and foliage. It is stunning!
Other activities during this time include making flower carpets in the streets, folklore performances, flower exhibitions, workshops, classical music concerts, and a street market.
Flower Groups perform in specific locations with stands one weekend after the Grand Parade. Usually, there is a classic car parade, still in context with the flower theme.
There is a contest for the best shop window decoration with flowers, flower exhibitions in strategic locations in many villages around the island and flower displays in the hotels.
Come and experience the amazing Madeira Flower Festival. You can’t miss it.
2. When is the Flower Festival?
Starting next year, there will be a change in the schedule for this event. Instead of following the usual pattern of taking place two weeks after Easter, it will now consistently occur from the first weekend in May. This updated schedule will remain in place for all future event iterations.
This year’s Funchal Flower Festival will be held from April 27th to May 21st, with the theme “Madeira, Island in Bloom”.
- The two main parades are always held on the first weekend (Saturday and Sunday) and should not be missed.
- The children’s parade and the Wall of Hope are on Saturday from 10:00.
- The main parade is on Sunday at 16:30.
3. What time does the parade begin and finish? How long does the parade last?
The Sunday parade starts at 16:30 and ends around 18:30. Depending on the number of participants (around 1500), it lasts about two and a half hours to three hours from one end to the other (1.5 kilometres)
4. How long before do you need to find a position to stand? Is there a bus we can catch? Will taxis be working?
If you are unsure when to walk into the city on Sunday to see the parade and do not want to miss it, you must arrive 30 minutes earlier. It will depend on your hotel’s location and the transportation you will use to get there to understand when you should leave.
Some hotels offer courtesy buses, so ask about the times at the reception.
There are frequent buses on the main road in the hotel area. Any bus marked “Centro” will take you to the city centre. Before and during large events, public transportation is often cancelled or diverted, and some roads close during the parade. Ask reception for the time and location of the bus stops.
Getting a taxi or bus to return to the hotel may be challenging because many people will want to catch one after the parade.
5. Where would be the best place to get a good view of the parade?
There are only two options to watch it on Sunday afternoon:
- Comfortably seated on the grandstand.
-
Standing with the crowds, free, with the inconvenience of having people in front of you limiting visibility and fatigue because of the time standing;
Best place to be? Anywhere along the route. There are stand seats at various points between the Empresa de Eletricidade da Madeira (near the Cable car station, in the Old Town), where it starts, Avenida do Mar (seafront) and Avenida Sá Carneiro (near the Cristiano Ronaldo Museum), where it ends.
6. Madeira Flower Festival tickets: where can I book a seat for the flower grandstand? How much is a ticket?
You must purchase tickets for the Great Allegoric Flower Parade on the stands. These are available in several places:
- Tourist Information Office in the centre of Funchal, but they will soon sell it out.
- Associação de Animação Geringonça: bancadasgeringonca@gmail.com
- Retoiça – Associação Cultural, Desportiva e Recreativa: madeiratribune@gmail.com
- Associação de Batucada da Madeira: batucadamadeira@gmail.com
- Associação FT — Fitness Team: associacaoft@hotmail.com
- If requested in advance, your hotel may arrange for you.
It costs 30 Euros per seat and includes a water bottle and a hat.
Your ticket will have a stand and seat number, which will help you find the exact spot you need to go.
Tip: Book in advance.
7. Where must we see flower carpets and the Wall of Hope?
They lay out the flower carpets along the Avenida Arriaga, between the fountain roundabout at the bottom of Santa Catarina Park and the Cathedral. If you encounter any difficulty finding it, ask anyone for directions.
The Wall of Hope Ceremony usually begins at Avenida Arriaga and involves hundreds of children. They walk to the “Praça do Município”, where the parade ends.
The “Praça do Município” (Municipal Square) and the “Largo do Colégio” (Colégio Square) are both the same square with two different names.
8. How do we find the schedule of the Flower Festival?
For those who visit Madeira to witness this rare beauty event, here’s some helpful Flower Festival information:
The flower arrangements exhibition and the flowercarpets are always on Friday- The Wall of Hope is always on Saturday.
- The Parade is always on Sunday.
You can access the program on this page: https://luxmadeira.com/madeira-flower-festival-full-programme/
Tips:
- You can plan to go on a tour on Sunday morning. It will make you walk and avoid sitting for long periods, like during the afternoon parade. You can still get off at Funchal for lunch and attend the parade. You can book the tours I recommend hereunder:
Last-minute updates will likely be announced on the Madeira Tourism Official website, but I will keep this post updated.
You can also check out this link and download the programme in several languages: https://luxmadeira.com/madeira-flower-festival-full-programme/
9. When is the flower festival next year?
According to the Visit Madeira website, the Flower Festival will be held annually in May.
Madeira Flower Festival 2023: April 27th to May 21st — Exhibits and Entertainment in downtown Funchal, April 29th — The Wall of Hope Ceremony, April 30th — Great Allegoric Flower Parade, May 6th — Madeira Flower Collection, 11th to 14th May — Flower concerts, 18th to 21st May — Flower sculptures
10. On average, what is the weather like in Funchal in May?
It’s a lovely time of the year to visit Madeira. We have also been fortunate with pleasant weather (annual average: 20,9 °C). However, it may get a bit chilly on some days. In addition, if you like flowers, now is an excellent time to visit the gardens.
11. Is it worth going to the flower festival in Madeira?
Yes, it is worth it! The Flower Festival is the most famous event in Madeira, and you will experience a fantastic atmosphere and spectacle. Like all events held in Madeira, the locals (Madeirans) will redouble their efforts so everyone can enjoy it. If this is your first visit to Madeira, I believe this will not be your last. I know you will like this wonderful island.
It is the time of the year when nature’s paintbox is fully functional, making a more colourful Madeira.
12. Looking for an Unforgettable Flower Festival Experience? Want to Know How We Can Help?
Fill out the form below with your preferences and requirements, and our team of experts will create the perfect programme for you. With our extensive knowledge of the area and our commitment to customer satisfaction, you can trust us to deliver an experience that exceeds your expectations. So why wait? Start planning your Flower Festival adventure today, and let us help you create memories that will last a lifetime.
Don’t forget your camera. It will be an incredible month, not to be missed! Follow our social media pages for Madeira Flower Festival photos and more Flower Festival information. And please leave your opinion below or email us if you need help planning your trip.
I hope you will be here! Enjoy your holiday and Madeira experiences.
