August Island News
The month of August on Madeira is known for its traditional festivities, amongst which the main religious feast “Festa de Nossa Senhora do Monte” is a highlight. You may choose the lush green freshness of the Laurissilva Forest, on Madeira, or the warm golden hues of the magnificent sandy beach on Porto Santo. The warm weather and the sea also provide ideal conditions for practicing water sports.
Camachense Art Festival From 8th to 12th August, the typical parish of Camacha will hold the 20th edition of the Art Festival called “Art Camacha 2008”, a festival which is entirely devoted to local traOrganised by the Casa do Povo of Camacha, this year’s edition will include the special participation of the Portuguese “Xaile” and the Folk Dancing Group of Puerto de la Cruz of Venezuela as well as the usual folk dancing groups of the parish, amongst others. In addition to the musical entertainment, there will also be an exhibition of plastic arts by artists born in Camacha.
Porto Santo Megadance The “Porto Santo Megadance 2008” event, organised by Creatives RAM will be held at Penedo do Sono, and will bring internationally, nationally and regionally known DJs to the Golden Island. The choice at an international level fell on Laidback Luke, Dirty South, Mark Knight, Peace Division and the Hoxton Whores, while the national choice was Sexy Sound System, Overule, Pedro Tabuada, Jiggy, Lady M and Luís Leite. At a regional level, the electronic music has been given to Marco Camacho, Sil, Ricardo Gouveia, Pedro Afonseca, Filipe Quintal, Nélio Fabrício, Carl Ruas and Sérgio Soares. The Creatives RAM will also count on the performance of the singer Jaba, who sings “Rise Up”. From 8th to 19th August, Penedo do Sono will also provide entertainment in three bars (Dokaki, Yatch Club and Keops).
Monte Festival - From 14 to 15 August
This is considered the main religious folk festival in the region and it is also commemorated wherever in the world Madeiran immigrants are to be found.
The Church “Igreja da Nossa Senhora do Monte”, (Our Lady of the Mount), patron saint of Madeira, is also very popular with pilgrims who come here to pray or fulfil vows by the tomb of Emperor Karl I of Austria. Karl I died in 192at Quinta do Monte, now called Quinta Jardins do Imperador or Quinta of thEmperor’s Gardens.
It is a lively celebration lasting two days and transforms the romantic, picturesque parish of Monte into one of the busiest places in Madeira, full of traditional food and drink stalls and plenty of music.
Commemoration of 500 years of Funchal – City Day The City Hall of Funchal and Funchal 500 Anos E.E.M., have scheduled for the following 21st of the month – City Day, the festivities commemorating 500 years since D. Manuel I elevated the town of Funchal to the category of city. A programme has been created for this event with initiatives from a historical parade to a display by “Asas de Portugal” (an acrobatic team of the Portuguese Air Force), parades of the military, militarised and security forces, naval and air parades, music and a relay race which will involve 500 people and unite all the municipalities of the Region around its capital. The objective of these activities will be to involve the entire population of Funchal, as well as all its visitors. For more information on the programme, consult: www.funchal500anos.com
XVII Round Madeira by Canoe Organised by Centro Treino Mar, the XVII Round Madeira by Canoe will be held this year from 26 to 31 August. This event, integrated in an international race of the Portuguese Canoeing Federation and International Canoeing Federation, is already known for its high degree of difficulty as well as the natural beauty offered by the coast to its competitors. The race covers 141km distributed along nine laps, all supported by the organisation. thst
For more information, consult: www.madeiraemcanoa.com
Assistance to persons with diminished mobility Since the last 26th July, ANAM – Aeroportos da Madeira has provided a Service of Assistance to Disabled Persons and to Persons of Diminished Mobility called MyWay. This service basically involves accompanying the person to his/her place on the airplane where the Airport’s responsibility ends and consists in providing personal assistance and assistance for the check-in of baggage, at the security points, border and on boarding. This service is assured with duly trained and qualified personnel who are committed to complying with all the service quality levels recommended by ECAC.
International Astronomy Year launched in Madeira On the last 1st July – day of the Region and Communities of Madeira – the programme of the 2009 International Astronomy Year was officially launched on the Internet. This programme already includes 104 events and 12 initiatives, and it is probable that many more will be included up to the end of this year. For more information, consult: www.um
Madeira Wine Festival
Recalling the social and economic importance of Madeira wine, the Madeira Wine Festival is held in September during the grape harvest, going back to the population’s old customs since the island was first settled.
In Câmara de Lobos the festival begins with the live grape harvest. The picking of the grapes, the pickers’ parade, treading the grapes and the whole ritual oftypical Madeira folk celebration are enjoyed by all. In the centre of Funchal there are light, sound and folk shows connected to traditional wine-making.
2008 Madeira Ultra Trail On 20th September, the Island of Madeira will hold yet another ultra-long trial in the Non-Stop format called 2008 Madeira Island Ultra Trail, the objective of which is to walk across the Island of Madeira in the maximum time of 24 hours. This event, organised by the Mountain Club of Funchal in partnership with Confraria Trotamontes will be composed of two walks, one of about 100 km and another of approximately 55 km. The organisation combined a series of specific characteristics of the island, from the beauty of its landscape, to its local gastronomy and hospitality for the purpose of showing the participants its excellent environment for hiking through the mountains. For more information, see: www.madeiraultratrail.com
2008 “Xôpana Jazz” Organised by Hotel Choupana Hills Resort & Spa, the second edition of “Xôpana Jazz” will be held from 4th to 6th September. The first night of the event will present the Trioangular and David Binney quintet with Mark Turner, while the second night is reserved for the performances of the Julian Argüelles Quartet with André Fernandes and the trio formed by Steve Swallow, Ohad Talmor and Adam Nussbaum. For the closure of the “Xôpana Jazz” 2008 edition, the entertainment of the last day will be assured by Maria João and Mário Laginha, together with Julian Argüelles, followed by Enrico Rava, on the trumpet.
XV Canaries International Regatta - Madeira/ 500 years of the city of Funchal ANM and the Empresa Municipal 500 anos Funchal in partnership with the Real Club Náutico de Gran Canárias have organised the XV Canaries International Regatta – Madeira/ 500 years of the city of Funchal. This regatta will leave Porto de Las Palmas on the next 2 September for the city of Funchal on a journey of 290 nautical miles, and takes part in the commemoration of the 500 years of the city of Funchal as well as in the festivities of the 100 years of Real Club Náutico de Gran Canária. nd
VIP World promotes ‘Quintas da Madeira’ The VIP World, one of the largest national tourist operators and world leader on the market for the sale of holiday packages on the Portuguese market for Madeira, has presented a new travel catalogue devoted to the “Quintas da Madeira”, a product covering 15 country houses in the Autonomous Region. The catalogue which is being launched presents a carefully chosen selection aimed at the medium-high segment. “Live the difference, visiting gardens perpetuated in time, savouring gastronomic delicacies accompanied by a fine wine and, above all, enjoying a relaxing and very peaceful atmosphere, is what this catalogue of choices aims to present”, as note the promoters of the new brochure. The operator emphasises its initiative as “an important step to develop one of the reference products of the destination Madeira – The Country Houses” referring to this product niche as “a very high quality offer”, with the “contemporary touch allied to the historical richness of these stately houses giving rise to a product of excellence based on its differentiation”.
Golf operators meet in Madeira From 31st May to 4th June of next year, the annual convention of one of the most prestigious world golf organisations, the IAGTO, will be held in Madeira. ‘IAGTO – International Association of Golf Tour Operators’, was created in 1997, for the purpose of getting together, at a world level, the main actors of the golf tourism market. Madeira is the only Portuguese region where IAGTO has proposed creating its own centre, a result of the specific characteristics of the Region, as a golf destination. Over 50 golf tourism operators are expected to come, as well as journalists, IAGTO members and other opinion leaders, in a total of approximately 100 guests, all of enormous influence in this tourist segment. Participation in the annual conventions of IAGTO is subject to an invitation issued by the region hosting the event.
source - Madeira Tourism