The Flower Festival Parade, which had around twelve hundred participants, was divided in to twelve groups; while the spectacle itself was watched by hundreds of people, something that Funchal has not seen for a very long time. As always, and perhaps more so this year, the mood was as joyous and vibrant as the flowers and costumes themselves, and as one Madeiran said tearfully:
“It’s very, very beautiful. We really deserved this party, which is a dream.”
In fact most people interviewed by local journalists expressed the joy at being able to attend the event, with most saying that they had made a special effort to be here, just so that they could soak up a little festival razzmatazz.
When questioned, a UK tourist, called Elizabeth, said that the “festival was wonderful and the weather incredible.” She went on to say that she loves the festival so much, that she comes back year after year.
The only complaint made, was that at this time of year there are fewer flowers to choose from, but this didn’t detract from the overall brilliancy of the parade.
You can’t please everyone, but a little festival fun is what we all need.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
