Festa dos Compadres (Santana) — events in Madeira
Santana's satirical carnival festival and one of Madeira's oldest surviving folk traditions — the reception of the Comadres, the Thursday of the Compadres, an ethnographic parade and the famous 'Julgamento dos Compadres', in which two giant effigies accuse each other of the year's sins in front of the town hall before both are burned. The 2026 edition ran 5, 12, 21 and 22 February; 2027 dates follow the Carnival week of 3–14 February and are confirmed by the council in January.
About Festa dos Compadres (Santana)
Festa dos Compadres (Santana) anchors Santana's February 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 Santana 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.
What to know before you go
- Stay near Santana if you can — the closest guesthouses go first, and driving in on the day means slow traffic and scarce parking.
- Expect road closures near the venue and reduced parking in Santana. The extra bus services are the easiest way in; taxis get scarce once the crowd builds.
- Most of what happens spills into the streets and is free to watch; ticketed concerts and reserved viewing areas tend to sell out fast.
- Cash still matters at food stalls and pop-up bars, even though card readers are increasingly common.
Best time to visit
Aim for the middle days of the February run: the crowds have arrived, the programme is in full swing, and the last-minute changes have been ironed out.
Visitor reviews
Honest first-person notes from people who have actually been to Festa dos Compadres (Santana). Reviews are moderated before they appear — no account needed.
Loading reviews…
Frequently asked
When is Festa dos Compadres (Santana)?+
Official dates for the next edition of Festa dos Compadres (Santana) have not yet been confirmed. It runs annually around February — the organiser typically publishes exact dates 2–4 months before the event. Check back closer to the season, or use the previous edition's window as a planning guide.
How do I get to Festa dos Compadres (Santana) 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 Festa dos Compadres (Santana)?+
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 Festa dos Compadres (Santana)?+
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.
Plan the rest of your trip
The four guides most first-time visitors reach for.