| Think of Brazilian festivals and the images | | | | better known in Brazil, to promote the works |
| that spring to mind are of fantastic street | | | | of Brazilian artists to the world, and to |
| parades featuring dancers in fantastic | | | | plant Sao Paulo firmly on the international |
| costumes gyrating to samba rhythms. This is | | | | art scene. In addition to the art biennial, |
| of course the annual Carnival. Carnival | | | | an International Biennial for Architecture |
| starts on a Saturday and officially runs for | | | | and Design has been held since 1973. |
| four days, ending on Fat Tuesday (Mardi | | | | |
| Gras). The actual date depends on Easter and | | | | Sao Joao |
| so varies between February and March. | | | | |
| | | | Our last festival is a sacred one celebrated |
| Carnival | | | | nationwide - Festa Junina (São João or |
| | | | Saint John Festival) which is the Catholic |
| Carnival celebrations occur in every city in | | | | replacement for a pagan midsummer festival. |
| Brazil but the real extravaganza happens in | | | | The tradition was brought to Brazil by |
| Rio. Here it's the samba schools that put on | | | | Portuguese colonists. As Brazil is in the |
| the big show. Each samba school chooses its | | | | southern hemisphere, it becomes a midwinter |
| theme for the parade and prepares the | | | | festival here and is celebrated in June. It |
| elaborate floats and flamboyant costumes that | | | | starts one week before St John's Day and ends |
| define Carnival. | | | | one week after and is celebrated with |
| | | | traditional foods, games and dances. It's |
| Carnival has its origins in long-ago pagan | | | | mainly celebrated on the days following the |
| celebration held in Greece or Rome. The grand | | | | Catholic feast of Saint Anthony, John the |
| balls that evolved from these rituals arrived | | | | Baptist and Saint Peter. |
| in Brazil from Italy at the end of the 19th | | | | |
| century. Decades later, they achieved | | | | While celebrated all over Brazil, Sao Joao is |
| legendary status for their splendour and the | | | | especially popular in the rural northeast. |
| celebrities who attended them at the | | | | Here it marks the beginning of the rainy |
| Copacabana Palace Hotel. The actual Samba | | | | season. And as São João coincides with |
| Parade that is the heart of Carnival dates | | | | the corn harvest, corn-based foods are a |
| from the 1930s. | | | | popular facet of the celebration. These |
| | | | include canjica and pamonha. Fireworks and |
| Sao Paulo Art Festival | | | | bonfires are key components of the |
| | | | festivities. |
| Another major event on the Brazilian calendar | | | | |
| is the Sao Paulo art festival held biannually | | | | Brazil is always an exciting country to |
| in October on even years. The São Paulo | | | | visit. But if you can make your visit during |
| Bienal as it's known locally, features both | | | | one of the country's many festivals, you can |
| Brazilian and international art. It's the | | | | experience a new dimension in Brazilian |
| biggest arts event in Latin America and | | | | hospitality and enter the heart of life in |
| showcases art, theater, music, and | | | | this amazing country. The only difficulty |
| architecture. | | | | with visiting the events in Brazil might be |
| | | | your accommodation. Be sure to have a |
| Taking the Venice Biennial as its model, the | | | | reservation, because Rio de Janeiro hotels or |
| São Paulo Art Biennial was founded in 1951 | | | | Sao Paolo hotels could be fully booked during |
| by the Italian-Brazilian industrialist | | | | the festivals. Of course the Internet offers |
| Ciccillo Matarazzo. The original aim of the | | | | many opportunities to book Brazil hotels in |
| festival was to make international modern art | | | | advance. |