In Madeira, the carnival season is celebrated just before the beginning of Lent. There is a constant festive atmosphere on the island during this time, with cheerfulness prevailing in the streets.
Some traditional gastronomic delicacies which are meant to be eaten on Shrove Tuesday are “Sonhos” (a fried dough, literally translated as “dreams” because they are fluffy and are eaten with black sugar-cane honey) and “Malassadas” (literally translated as “under-cooked”) are egg-sized balls of yeast dough that are more compact and are also deep-fried in oil and coated with granulated sugar.
The main attraction of the Carnival season on the island is the colourful and vibrant Carnival Float Parade which takes place in the centre of Funchal, with over 1000 participants dressed in eye-catching costumes. On Shrove Tuesday, there is another parade, this time a Slapstick Parade (known locally as “O Cortejo Trapalhão”). The parade is open to all, both locals and foreign citizens, either independently or as a group. Many participant’s creativity knows no boundaries and spans from social and political satire, to traditional themes, or simple character disguise.
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