Mostra da Sidra (Santo da Serra Cider Festival)
Traditional late-September cider festival in Santo da Serra, organised by the Casa do Povo do Santo da Serra to coincide with the apple and pear harvest — tastings from local producers, folk music and regional food.
About Mostra da Sidra (Santo da Serra Cider Festival)
Mostra da Sidra (Santo da Serra Cider Festival) anchors Santo da Serra, Santa Cruz's September calendar. It's the sort of event locals put in the diary in January and adjust the rest of the month around — worth planning your trip around if the dates align.
Rooms in Santo da Serra, Santa Cruz start disappearing 2–3 months out — nothing like the Funchal marquee weeks, but enough that leaving it late means driving in from further afield. The programme is usually confirmed 4–6 weeks before the dates.
The Mostra da Sidra is the traditional cider festival of Santo da Serra, held every year in the village square in late September to coincide with the real apple and pear harvest in the surrounding orchards. Organised by the Casa do Povo do Santo da Serra rather than the Regional Government, it is the older and more rural of Madeira's two cider festivals, and the one visitors describe as the more authentic one.
Santo da Serra sits at about 700 m in Santa Cruz council, on the plateau above Machico. Its cool, wet microclimate makes it Madeira's main apple-growing area, and cider (sidra) has been the traditional local drink for generations — historically pressed at home from windfall fruit and served straight from the barrel. The Mostra brings the small artisanal producers together in the village centre for a weekend of tastings, folk music from the local groups, and regional food (espetada, milho frito, bolo do caco, apple cake).
The 2026 edition is expected in late September, running across a weekend. Exact dates are published by the Casa do Povo and the Regional Direction of Agriculture (madeira.gov.pt) once confirmed. For anyone wanting to see the actual harvest and the rural side of Madeiran cider culture, this is the one to visit rather than the June Funchal festival.
What to know before you go
- Stay near Santo da Serra, Santa Cruz if you can — the closest guesthouses go first, and driving in on the day means slow traffic and scarce parking.
- Public transport runs extra services on the main event days, but parking near Santo da Serra, Santa Cruz becomes very limited — arrive early or plan to walk in.
- Street programming is free. Paid elements — grandstand seats, gala dinners, indoor concerts — release in waves and disappear quickly once the dates are official.
- Photograph early. The best light and the smallest crowds are usually in the first hour of the programme, not the headline slot.
- Held in late September in Santo da Serra village square, Santa Cruz council — roughly 30 minutes by car from Funchal via the VR1 (exit Camacha) or the VE1 (exit Machico).
- Organiser: Casa do Povo do Santo da Serra. Confirmed dates each year via the Regional Government agriculture pages (madeira.gov.pt/drec).
- Free entry; small charge for tasting glasses or plates from the food stalls.
- Bring a light jacket — Santo da Serra is at ~700 m and evenings are noticeably cooler than Funchal, especially in autumn.
- Combine with a walk on the Levada dos Tornos (which passes nearby) or a round on the Santo da Serra golf course, and a lunch stop at one of the village's poncha bars.
Best time to visit
The main programme runs around September. Arrive a day early to settle in and see the build-up — set-up day is often the most photogenic.
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Frequently asked
When is Mostra da Sidra (Santo da Serra Cider Festival)?+
The next confirmed dates for Mostra da Sidra (Santo da Serra Cider Festival) are 2026-09-26 to 2026-09-27. The event recurs every year.
How do I get to Mostra da Sidra (Santo da Serra Cider Festival) and where should I stay?+
Ticketed elements (concerts, guided tours, special dinners) release in waves. The free programme in the streets and squares runs alongside and needs no booking.
What's the best day or time to experience Mostra da Sidra (Santo da Serra Cider Festival)?+
The middle days of the festival are usually the strongest — the programme has bedded in and the crowds haven't peaked. Weekend evenings are the busiest.
What are the local traditions behind Mostra da Sidra (Santo da Serra Cider Festival)?+
Look for the smaller venues — the Casa da Cultura, the parish library, the church cloister. This is where the programme's most local content ends up, and where you'll meet the artists and organisers themselves.
When is the Mostra da Sidra in Santo da Serra?+
The traditional Mostra da Sidra takes place in late September every year, timed to the apple and pear harvest around Santo da Serra. The 2026 edition is expected in late September — confirmed dates are published by the Casa do Povo do Santo da Serra and the Regional Direction of Agriculture (madeira.gov.pt/drec).
Is this the same festival as Cider Fest Madeira in Funchal?+
No — they are two separate events. The Mostra da Sidra is the traditional, rural festival in Santo da Serra village in late September, organised by the local Casa do Povo. Cider Fest Madeira is the newer regional festival held on Avenida Arriaga in central Funchal in late June, organised by APSRAM and the Regional Government.
Where is Santo da Serra?+
Santo da Serra is a plateau village at about 700 m in Santa Cruz council, roughly 30 minutes by car from Funchal (via the VR1 exit at Camacha or the VE1 exit at Machico). It is Madeira's main apple-growing area and home to the island's oldest golf course.
What is served at the Mostra da Sidra?+
Cider from small local producers (dry, sweet and sparkling styles), plus regional Madeiran arraial food — espetada in bay-laurel skewers, milho frito, bolo do caco with garlic butter, and traditional apple cake. Folk music from local groups runs across the weekend.
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