BRAZIL FESTIVALS & EVENTS

Highlights of Brazil’s many festivals are listed below. See the regional chapters for details of these and many other events.

• Bom Jesus dos Navegantes Four-day festival starting on the second Sunday in January, Penedo, Alagoas.
• Festa de Santo Amaro January 23 to February 2, Santo Amaro, Bahia.
• Lavagem do Bonfim Second Thursday in Janu­ary, Salvador, Bahia.
• Processao do Senhor Bom Jesus dos Navegantes January 1, Salvador, Bahia.

• Festa de lemanja February 2; Salvador, Bahia.
• Shrove Tuesday and Carnaval February or March depending on the Easter date; the famous Fat Tues­day celebration and the days preceding it. Nationwide.

• Semana Santa The week before Easter, in March or April; celebrations in Congonhas, Ouro Preto, Goias Velho.

• Cavalhada Held 50 days after Easter, Pirenopolis, Goias.
• Festa do Divino The first Sunday after Ascension Day, Alcantara, Maranhao.
• Festa do Divino Espirito Santo In May or June, 40 days after Easter, Paraty, Rio de Janeiro state.
• Micareta In April or early May, Feira de Santana, Bahia.

• Boi-Bumba Three days in late June, Parintins, Amazonas.
• Bumba Meu Boi From late June to the second week of August, Sao Luis, Maranhao. Festa de Sao Joao Held June 22 to 24, Cachoeira, Bahia.
• Festas Juninas Celebrated throughout June in Rio state and much of the rest of the country.
• Festival Foldorico do Amazonas Throughout June, Manaus, Amazonas.

• Fortal Last week of July, Fortaleza, Ceara.
• Festival de Danca Second half of July, Joinville, Santa Catarina.
• Regata de Jangadas Second half of July, Fortaleza, Ceara.

• Festa da NS de Boa Morte Held in mid-August, Cachoeira, Bahia.
• Festa de lemanja Held August 15, Fortaleza, Ceara.
• Foldore Nordestino In late August, Olinda, Pernambuco.

• Festa de NS de Nazare On September 7 and 8, Saquarema, Rio de Janeiro state.
• Festa de NS dos Remedios On September 8, Paraty, Rio de Janeiro state.
• Festa do Caire Second week of September, Alter do Chao, Parb.
• Jubileu do Senhor Bom Jesus do Matosinhos Takes place from September 7 to 14, Congonhas, Minas Gerais.

• Cirio de Nazare Starts the second Sunday in October, Belem, Para.
• NS do Rosario Second half of October in Cachoeira, Bahia and October 23 to 25 in Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais.
• Oktoberfest The middle two weeks in October, Blumenau, Santa Catarina.
• Rio Jazz Festival Varying dates in October, Rio de Janeiro.

• Dia do Romeiro e Festa do Padre Cicero Held November 1 and 2, Juazeiro do Norte, Ceara.
• Maceio Fest Held in the 3rd week of November, Maceid, Alagoas.

• Carnatal First week of December, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte.
• Festa Santa Barbara Celebrated December 4 to 6, Salvador, Bahia.
• Reveillon and Festa de lemanja December 31, Rio de Janeiro.