Madeira Carnival 2020

Did you know that the traditions of Madeira Carnival may have influenced the Brazilian Carnival?

According to some authors, it is believed that the origins of Madeiran Carnival go back to the sugar production, in the 16th century, when Madeira’s emigrants implanted the sugar industry in Brazil, also known as the “white gold”. 

When the sugar expansion began in the Atlantic, from the island, traditions and culture also traveled with it, so there may have been an influence of Madeira in the carnival festivities of Brazil.

Its connection with the slaves, points out to a "mixture of pagan, European and African traditions’’, who also carried customs and rites, which may have contributed to the Carnival festivities in this country.

In the first half of the 20th century, the masked men were concentrated on Rua da Carreira, in the center of Funchal, where a battle of eggs, flour, water, streamers and 'confetti' was taking place. 

The carnival battle at Rua da Carreira ended in 1940s, due to the excesses that were committed, but the Madeirans continued to wear masks and wandering on the streets during Carnival days, forcing homeowners to offer ‘’malassadas’’ (one of the typical delicacies of the time), without ever revealing their identity.

Before the 1970s, Rua da Carreira, in Funchal, was the stage of a Carnival parade, people created their disguises, painted their faces, wore masks and invented tricks to have fun and party all night.

After the 1970s, according to the social events of that time, people celebrated themed parties, which with the growth of tourism took place in the most iconic hotels in Funchal, such as Savoy, Reid’s Palace. 

Madeira Carnival 2020 dates and events 

Carnival means endless parades, dancing, and lots of food and drinks on the streets, and Madeira is not an exeption. Carnaval 2020 in Madeira in runs from 19 February to 1 March, that means that for 12 days, the city is decorated with in festive colors and lights. Residents and visitors alike flood the streets in brightly adorned costumes.

Nowadays, Madeira Carnival has three special moments:

The Festa dos Compadres, in Santana, (15th and 16th of February);

The Allegorical Parade(22th of february)

 The Cortejo Trapalhão, (25th of February), both in Funchal.

The Compadres Party

The Compadres Party became popular from the 1960s onwards, and it marks the start of the celebrations where thousands of people travel to watch the "trial" of the compadres.

As tradition, this trial it is a confrontation between two dolls, the compadre and the comadre, who accuse each other and reveal each other's faults and sins. The party ends with the usual burning of the compadres as punishment.

The Allegorical Parade

The Allegorial Parade remote to the 70s of the 20th century and is the most popular event used in tourism promotion.

It takes place along the marginal avenues exhibiting the most varied disguises and social criticisms as you can see on the picture below.

On Saturday night, the parade is opened with music and takes thousands of visitors and residents to the Center of Funchal and over a thousand revelers participate dressed in colorful and decorated costumes parade down the street.

This is one of the main attraction of Madeira Carnival, because there is music playing along, with participants dancing a choreography  rehearsed throughout the year.

After following their traditional route through the city, you can join them  in the Praça do Município, where you can find much singing and dancing.

The Cortejo Trapalhão or Slapstick Parade

The Cortejo Trapalão on Fat Tuesday, is considered the most known one and more authentic, it is actually the parade that represents better the Madeiran carnival tradition.

 This popular style, born in the late 19th century, walks along the marginal avenues exhibiting the most varied disguises and social critiques. Any interested public member can participate in this parade with the disguises they want.The participants compete in creativity, humour, and satire, and at the end the best good humor or poking fun at social and political issues is rewarded.

Madeira Carnival Street animation:

As you can see on the map, the street animation starts along Avenida Arriaga to the municipal Garden, and there is also small parades such as:

Solidarity Carnival, where hundreds of revelers from the Funchal Community Development Association do also different costumes with a specific theme, where a show takes place.

On the Friday morning before Carnival, about a thousand children from different schools and daycare centers of Funchal, disguise themselves and dance to the song of carnival.

Other initiatives that are included on the Madeira Carnival festivities:

Themed nights are also part of the Carnival tradition such as

The “Travesties” evening, in which men disguise themselves as women and vice-versa;

The “Hippie” night, allusive to the 60s, and the last night of the carnival;

The “Enterro do Osso” in Vespas Club, for instance.