In my opinion this is one of the best festivals in Madeira, and has improved year on year.
The 16th Century Market, in Machico, is back, with its 18th edition, which has as its theme ‘Masters: knowledge in the hands’, a way, according to the organization, of “praising all the workers and craftsmen who made these Atlantic Islands a testament to the audacity and determination of the Portuguese people”.
This is a sociocultural project, of a pedagogical nature, which originated at the Machico Basic and Secondary School in 2006, but which quickly went beyond the walls of that educational establishment, becoming one of the main cultural events in the municipality of Machico and even in Madeira.
In addition to the hundreds of students, teachers and other members of the educational community in the municipality, the Mercado Quinhentista already brings together many others from municipalities in the Region, whose cultural associations or institutions actively participate in the event.
This is the first day of this year’s edition, after a colloquium and several exhibitions on the theme, and will focus on the ‘Hands that Sow’. The official opening of the market is scheduled for 4 pm. Half an hour later, a period drama will begin, followed by the ‘Time for the Little Ones and Infants’ at 5 pm. A horse tournament will take place at 7 pm, and at 9 pm, one of the highlights of the day will take place, the ‘Masters of Everyday Life’ procession, which will pass through the streets of Misericórdia, Árvore and Ribeirinho, ending at the stage in São Roque.
The fire show is scheduled for 10:30 pm, with the performance ‘From the Forge to the Sword’. At 11 pm, another great moment of the day (in this case, of the night), with a pyromusical show, associated with the Festival do Atlântico. The event closes at midnight, with activities resuming on Saturday and Sunday.