Brazil in South America is known for its festivals that are bound to attract tourists all year long from all over the world. This is the place that Edward Cullen chose for his honeymoon (though it was for other reasons, this is just to remind you). The merry ambience and friendly manners of the people in Brazil are sure to attract visitors to Brazil. The country also famous for his beautiful women. Some events that the country is popular for are:
These are TOP 10 Conventional and Cultural Celebrations in Brazil for Tourists.
1. Carnival
Coastal cities have a more theatrical display of the Carnival which is an event full of colorful costumes, music, dancing and parade in the streets. It has pagan roots and begins 46 days before Easter. The festivities will sometimes exceed over 7 days as each city celebrates the event in their own unique manner. Brazil is the most visited country in South America today. During the end of the last decade, there was a decline in the tourism industry of Brazil. Yet the patterns seem to have changed over time as people from bourgeois class also try to have a vacation once every few years. Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo are the most visited cities in Brazil today.
2. June Parties
June Parties is a festival for which only a thatched tent is important. Farm boys and farm girls would turn just any place into a dance floor and party the night away. It commemorates the birth of a saint in the Catholic Church and takes place in the winters. One major cause for excessive tourism in Brazil is the accessibility of the place. The rich cultural heritage dating back to the times of the tribes that survived in the forests of Brazil has brought a variety of culture and it is this richness that appeals people from countries where traditions are religion are more prevalent for example, South East Asia.
3. Parintins Folklore Festival
Parintins Folklore Festival is the largest national festival after the Carnival and is held in late June. Two teams participate in events around three hours long and keep the Amazonian culture and tradition alive during these storytelling and gaming events. It lasts for three days. This festival commemorates a legend about an ox that was resuscitated. Long versions of the tale are told by two teams that compete with each other. Each show lasts for over two hours. First one team presents its story aided by costumes, songs, dances and long story versions. Then the second team begins its story. The Amazonian culture is kept alive throughout the story telling through vibrant colours and indigenous costumes relevant to the natives.
4. New Year Festival in Rio de Janeiro
New Year Festival in Rio de Janeiro is the best known of its kind all over the world. Tourists from all over the world come to see parties, fireworks and festivals that mark this day. The festival in Copacabana is popular all over the world. This New Year’s Night when the news channels will be showing how New Year is celebrated all over the world- make sure you see the clip that shows Brazil. This event makes it to the charts every year because tourists are partiers from all over the world will visit Brazil to watch fireworks, eat the food and enjoy the music.
5. Formula One Racing
During March or April, the racing circle at Interlagos sees sporting activity as sportsmen and fans from all over the world come to enjoy the Formula One Racing. The Grand Prix moved to Rio in 1978 but one year later in 1979 Interlagos got the race back. It all started in 1938 when a huge plot was bought by two estate developers for a housing scheme. However,one part of the land was not suitable for housing so they built a racing circuit instead. Sau Paulo quickly developed as the area around the circuit was quickly populated. Today, people from all over the world visit Brazil for the annual car racing event. The speed, the acceleration and the thrill seems the emanate from every object in the season.
6. Oktoberfest
Oktoberfest is purely a German festival but the locals support Germans wholeheartedly and join them for everything that they do. It is a festival of purely Germanic traditions and happens in Blumenaue, Santa Caratina. A Queen of Oktoberfest is chosen every year. 10 candidates are selected to participate out of which 3 reach the final round. There upon their catwalk, friendliness, communication and beauty, a decision is made about the Queen. During the festival, there is another event called National Competition of Chopp in Meter Drinkers during which the competitors have to drink one meter (600 ml) of beer without drooling and without taking the tulip off their mouth. The winner is the one who drinks in least time.
7. Bahian Carnival
Bahian Carnival is hosted in Salvador, state of Bahia. It marks festivities for six whole days for an average of 16 hours a day that includes parade, dancing and music. There are also related events that are considered to be a part of the main event. This caps the whole festival at twelve maximum days. The festival takes place at many sites simultaneously and the most famous of these is Campo Grande track in the upper part of the city. The Barra-Ondina track by the shore is next in popularity. Approximately 2.5 million participate in the festival each year. The festival has a large impact on the local economy of Salvador. In fact, the rich festivals of Brazil show us that the economy hugely relies on tourism and festivals.
8. Mixed Race Day
Twenty seven mixed race representatives were selected to mark the 1st conference for Promotion of Racial Equality is the country and this event is commemorated by the Mixed Race Day. It takes place on 27th June each year. It takes place in commemoration of the mixed races of Brazil including the Caboclos. Also, it happens three days after the Day of Caboclos. In addition, it is an official regional holiday in three states of the country. There are other racial groups celebrating similar days in Brazil like “Black Awareness Day”, “Indian Day” and “Loving Day”. The last of these commemorates a judicial decision nullifying discrimination in marriages on basis of race. The case is known as Loving v. Virginia.
9. Modern Art Week
The first event of the Modern Art Week took place in 1922 and marked the beginning of Modern Brazil. Sao Paulo gained importance as a culturally rich city against the conservative Rio de Janeiro after this event that now takes place each year. Before the festival, Sau Paulo was a prosperous city but not culturally important. Many artists had been doing modern work in Brazil even before this event but it was specifically the Modern Art Week that acknowledged the beginning of a new era in Brazilian history of the Art. The event is as important for Brazil as was the Modern Art festival, for United States, that took place in New York in 1913.
10. Festival de Gramado
Festival de Gramado takes place in Brazil every year. It is an international film festival that gives awards called “kikitos”. They are 24 in number, 13 for Brazilian films, 8 for international films, and three special awards, and also presented to Latin American films produced outside Brazil. It takes place in the Gramado, Rio Grande do Sul,since 1973. It is the most important film festival of Brazil since 1980.
The Best Festivals and Cultural Celebrations in Brazil
Brazil, the country also famous around the world for its most beautiful ladies – offers a lot of celebrations and festivals. A few of them listed below;
- Carnival
- June Parties
- Parintins Folklore Festival
- New Year Festival in Rio de Janeiro
- Formula One Racing
- Oktoberfest
- Bahian Carnival
- Mixed Race Day
- Modern Art Week
- Festival de Gramado