Starting the summer with your feet in the sand on the beach held to be the best in Europe in 2024 and having the opportunity to see some of the most important artists on the current music scene are just some of the reasons that make the São João Festivities in Porto Santo an important event in the calendar of Porto Santo life.
This celebration has deep roots in local history and was brought by the first settlers from mainland Portugal, where it had pagan origins, initially associated with fertility rituals and harvest festivities. Fire, present at these celebrations, symbolised both the power of fertilisation as well as the purification of souls and was a way of giving thanks for the blessings of the earth.
As times went by, the Sao Joao festivities acquired a religious character, in honour of the birth of St John the Baptist, uniting the spiritual and popular aspects. And it was as a religious celebration that it arrived at Porto Santo.
It is the island's biggest event, and it is the reason why many people travel to Porto Santo. It is also the municipality's anniversary. In practice, São João is a kind of official start to summer.
Every year in the days leading up to 24 June, the island honours history with the active participation of the locals. One of the most eagerly awaited moments takes place on the eve of 23-24 June, when the streets are filled with popular marches. Organised with great dedication by local groups, the parades include typical costumes, carefully rehearsed choreography and floats. Every detail is rigorously thought out over five months to ensure a festival full of energy and emotion. Despite its evolution, the pagan traditions that marked the first editions of the festival continue to be part of the event, which is also characterised by its delicacies.
The programme is vast, and all done in a popular festival style, with stalls and a main stage where great artists from Madeira and Portugal perform.
This year, 2025, the musical highlights include the presence of artists such as Menasso and Expensive Soul (on the 20th), Bárbara Bandeira and Insert Coin (on the 21st), Pedro Abrunhosa (on the 22nd) and Toy (on the 23rd), offering a diverse programme that combines tradition and modernity.
