The theme for the 1999 carnival is a "Farewell to the 20th Century.

It is scheduled to depart from Avenida do Infante at 20H30 in the evening with the troupe of "Turma do Funil" opening the procession. This first troupe will lead with a thematic costume retrospective of the fashions of the 20th century. Pretty exciting theme. Considering the emormous amounts of fabric, chiffon, and material brought over from the Canary Islands this will be the troupe to watch ! (Watch out for those platform shoes and mini-skirts !)
After the "Turma do Funil" troupe proceeds the "Escola da Samba Caneca Furada" with their theme of "Bye Bye Millenium" will dance past. Their theme will cover events of the last millenium.
With the impact of the European Union very strong on the minds of many europeans the "Veteranos da Folia" present their procession with a glittering blue and gold parade of symbols, colour, and dress to celebrate the recent new social order in most of western Europe.
Following them, the "Associação de Animação Geringonça" will invert the retrospective main theme of the carnival and look to the future. The 180 or so members of the troupe will invoke motifs regarding a theme titled "The New Era". (Expect to find some extra-terrestrial characters looking about...).
The "A Escola de Samba Os Cariocas" troupe will parade down the main thourougfares of Funchal this year with a theme based on the role of the sea, its relationship with the Island, Portugal, and the future - hence the theme title: "The sea, our last hope".
The last troupe to proceed past is the group called "O Sonho de Um Dia". Their procession highlights the Carnival's main theme of saying goodbye to the century and the millenium. They are expected to produce some of the more unusual and unexpected costume and colour in this most revered of Madeiran festivals...

The whole parade and procession completes itself on the "Praça do Município". But the enjoyment does not end. The groups of participants and the many spectators join in frivolous merriment and party late into the night, or into the early morning...