| Latin America's party-loving spirit is famous the world | | | | honor of Saint John (the patron saint of a good |
| over and the continent offers some of the best | | | | harvest of corn). |
| fiestas, festivals and spectacles in the world. This is | | | | These festivals include the traditional mainstays of |
| especially the case in Brazil, where barely a week | | | | games, music, food and costumes and if you take |
| goes by without a celebration. Coincide your Brazil | | | | your Brazil vacation sometime in June, you're likely to |
| vacation with one of the following events and you'll be | | | | catch some of the festivities. |
| sure to take some lasting Brazil travel memories home | | | | Brazilian Grand Prix |
| with you. | | | | October (2009) |
| Note that these events and many others are | | | | Although the demanding Brazilian Grand Prix track at |
| immensely popular for domestic and international | | | | Interlagos, Sao Paolo, is not necessarily the favorite of |
| tourists and you may need to plan ahead since during | | | | the drivers; it does have a reputation as an excellent |
| peak season Brazil hotels and transportation will | | | | spectator experience. Recognized as a top |
| become booked up well in advance. | | | | international draw for the country, thousands flock to |
| Carnival | | | | Sao Paolo every October for this event, and tickets |
| From mid to the end of February | | | | often sell out weeks in advance. |
| Any list of events for a Brazil vacation has to begin | | | | Even for non-motor sport fans, the electric |
| with Carnival. While Rio de Janeiro probably springs to | | | | atmosphere of Sao Paulo for the Grand Prix is an |
| mind, it is worth remembering that every city in Brazil | | | | experience you'll never forget and many people make |
| celebrates its own version of this traditionally Catholic | | | | their travel plans specifically for a Brazil Formula 1 |
| event. | | | | vacation. |
| For those in pursuit of the traditional Carnival, go to | | | | Festa do Peão Boiadeiro |
| where the Brazilians go; Recife or the less commercial | | | | End of August |
| festival of Olinda are both popular among Brazilian | | | | Although hundreds of such events are held throughout |
| travelers. Recife, located in the northeastern part of | | | | Brazil, the Festa do Peão Boiadeiro in Barretos is |
| the country, is widely known as the largest Carnival | | | | generally accepted to be the world's largest rodeo |
| draw in the country. The mainstay of the Recife event | | | | event of its kind. Begun in 1955 by a group of |
| is the Galo de Madrugada (Rooster of the Dawn) | | | | bachelors, this event moved in 1985 to a massive |
| procession, which is literally as it sounds; a massive | | | | stadium designed to hold 35,000 people at any one |
| procession through the streets of seaside Recife | | | | time. Of course marked by the Brazilian trademarks of |
| which attracts roughly 2 million international visitors and | | | | music, food and fun, this event is a great chance to |
| local revelers alike. | | | | don those cowboy boots and dig out that hat! |
| For an 'off the beaten path' Carnival experience, head | | | | Bom Jesus dos Navegantes |
| to the neighboring city of Olinda. Here the main draw is | | | | New Year's Day |
| an unorganized celebration of music, where small | | | | The usual New Year celebrations are given a novel |
| bands of musicians (followed by dedicated fans of | | | | twist in Salvador de Bahia where Mass is |
| their music) wander the streets of the city and play | | | | accompanied by an enormous boat parade and |
| their music to whoever is available to listen. | | | | procession, part of the four-day-long Bom Jesus dos |
| Festas Juninas | | | | Navegantes, or "Good Jesus of the Boatmen". |
| Throughout June | | | | A several-hundred year old tradition in this seafaring |
| A traditional harvest event originally brought to Brazil | | | | community, the celebrations held to bless the boatmen |
| by Portuguese settlers, this series of street carnivals, | | | | who would be spending extended periods of time at |
| picnics and parties are celebrated across Brazil | | | | sea. Following Mass, an image of Jesus is carried out |
| (though are most popular in the northeast) and are a | | | | onto a flotilla of boats and sailed across the water to a |
| popular escape from the Brazil winter. | | | | nearby lighthouse. |
| Dedicated to Saint Anthony, Saint John and Saint | | | | Be sure to stick about after the procession, as the |
| Peter and celebrated by rural villages and large cities | | | | beach becomes the scene for a lively party which |
| alike, this month of parties is marked by large bonfires | | | | heralds the New Year in a typically Latin style. |
| and delicious traditional foods. It is often celebrated in | | | | |