Porto Santo will be the stage for another edition of the Festival Colombo, from September 17 to 20, 2026. The event, which evokes Christopher Columbus's passage through the archipelago, transforms Vila Baleira into a setting inspired by the Portuguese Age of Discoveries.
Promoted by the Regional Government, the festival combines historical reenactment, music, theatre, dance, circus arts, gastronomy, and crafts, with approximately 58 performances and over 400 participants. Although a replica of the ship Santa Maria could not be brought due to rough seas, the period atmosphere will be maintained through parades, street performances, and theatricalizations, complemented by a 16th-century market in the town center.
The program includes three major concerts, the musical theatre show "Sete Mares," and the new circus arts performance "(EU)phoria." There will also be an archery tournament, exhibitions, and initiatives to promote Madeiran heritage. The regional investment amounts to €247,100, with an expected hotel occupancy rate of 93%.
