of Brazilian artists to the world, and to plant Sao Paulo firmly on the international art scene. In addition to the art biennial, an International Biennial for Architecture and Design has been held since 1973.
Sao Joao
Our last festival is a sacred one celebrated nationwide – Festa Junina (São João or Saint John Festival) which is the Catholic replacement for a pagan midsummer festival. The tradition was brought to Brazil by Portuguese colonists. As Brazil is in the southern hemisphere, it becomes a midwinter festival here and is celebrated in June. It starts one week before St John’s Day and ends one week after and is celebrated with traditional foods, games and dances. It’s mainly celebrated on the days following the Catholic feast of Saint Anthony, John the Baptist and Saint Peter.
While celebrated all over Brazil, Sao Joao is especially popular in the rural northeast. Here it marks the beginning of the rainy season. And as São João coincides with the corn harvest, corn-based foods are a popular facet of the celebration. These include canjica and pamonha. Fireworks and bonfires are key components of the festivities.
Brazil is always an exciting country to visit. But if you can make your visit during one of the country’s many festivals, you can experience a new dimension in Brazilian hospitality and enter the heart of life in this amazing country. The only difficulty with visiting the events in
Brazil might be your accommodation. Be sure to have a reservation, because hotels in Rio de Janeiro or