Are you planning your Brazilian adventure and don’t know when to start? Well, you have reached the right spot.
Brazil’s religious historical roots help when considering the date to schedule your trip, mostly because they match the calendar up to the northern hemisphere pretty well.
And no matter if you’ll stick to Rio de Janeiro for a tropical getaway, opt for some wild nights in São Paulo, or go with the flow towards more unknown places, it’s important to learn about our Brazil festivals and holidays because each of them can offer you something unique.
Of course, we are known for some traditions far beyond South America’s borders. Who hasn’t heard about Carnaval’s wild street parties?
If you are looking to travel all around Brazil, we also have our complete Brazil travel guide, which you can read later.
You should always be aware of the most important holidays while making travel plans to visit a new country because some days will give you jam-packed attractions with plenty to do, while most religious holidays like Corpus Christi come with major commercial closures.
Brazil Festivals and Holidays: Also Other Observations
Because traveling to Brazil comes with so many particularities, I thought it’d be best to talk a little more in-depth about each of the major holidays celebrated in Brazil.
More than that, I want to prepare you for what comes with them, all the things you can expect while having a linear calendar of every region’s celebratory dates.
Quick Tips for Traveling in Brazil
Before we get into all the traditional festivals you may enjoy, here are some useful tips to put you on the best way to enjoy whatever time of the year you come in:
- Plan Ahead: Know which spots you’d like to visit beforehand and do some research. Unique events may cause full days of closure.
- Try Something New: If you are coming to enjoy the most famous carnival worldwide, that’s a good reason to learn about public transportation and its hours of operation.
- Chill Out: Your trip may overlap with dates such as Ash Wednesday, Christmas Day, or even New Year’s Day. In that case, don’t plan anything major during this time of the year. Sightseeing is a bummer when everything is closed.
Brazil Festivals and Holidays
A Brazilian National Holiday (Or More)For Each Month:
January Holidays
New Year’s Day – January 1st
New Year in Rio de Janeiro, photo by Marcos Barrod
While the day before is full of different traditions, the first day of the year is used to recharge before starting a new lease on life.
January 1st will be your day to sleep in, go out for brunch then enjoy one of many amazing summer days in this country.
Bonus: Sao Paulo Anniversary – January 25th
São Paulo is arguably one of the most iconic cities worldwide, so it makes sense to include its anniversary in this list.
In the days and weeks leading up to January 25th, the metropolis comes alive with all kinds of events to celebrate. So it may be a perfect opportunity for you to come over in order to enjoy a holiday with plenty to do.
February Holidays
Carnival – Varying Dates
This specific holiday needs no introduction. From the incredible parades put on by samba schools to people’s favorite street carnival parties, this is one of the summer festivals you will want to be a part of.
The happiness of Carnival in Brazil, for By Luis Fernandes
It usually takes place between the second and third weeks of February, but since dates vary each year, preparation will be your best friend. You can enjoy this time of year far beyond the borders of Rio de Janeiro! You can read more in depth about Carnival here.
Just remember that prices get hiked up, and things still sell out months in advance so it’s never too early to start planning!
Brazil Festivals and Holidays
March and April Holidays
Good Friday – Varying Dates
As it is in other parts of the world, Good Friday in Brazil is the Friday before Easter.
On a day like this, families will get together at home or in restaurants to enjoy a meal with cod fish, a tradition of this religious festival. But it goes beyond religion, it is a moment for family to gather amidst the craziness a new year brings.
Quick reminder: this is part of the holy week so working hours for everything may be affected!
Easter – Varying Dates
Again, Brazil’s calendar will match the rest of the world. Easter Sunday falls on the first Sunday after the full moon of the southern hemisphere’s fall.
Once upon a time, it was more of a religious affair, nowadays it is about a hearty lunch with your people before sharing sweets or chocolates, especially children.
Tiradentes’ Day – April 21st
This national holiday pays homage to one of our most beloved heroes, Joaquim José da Silva Xavier. He was executed by the Portuguese crown under accusations of leading an independence movement.
Once Brazil was truly independent, the dentist was recognized as a hero by leaders and got a whole day dedicated to his memory. And a town! His place of birth is a midwestern gem that changed its name to pay further homage to him.
It’s a great destination for people hoping to see into Brazil’s colonial past while learning about its history.
Brazil Festivals and Holidays
May Holidays
Labor Day – May 1st
Labor Day over here is pretty much like in the US. It’s a day under the ‘rest and relaxation’ category.
Most commerce, along with transportation, will have reduced hours so prepare for that.
Mother’s Day – Second Sunday of The Month
The love between mother and daughter, By Brett Sayles
Exact dates can vary but this date is always about celebrating moms in all the ways possible. It can look different for each family! However, it doesn’t have any significant impact on commercial hours.
June and July Holidays
Corpus Christi – Varying Dates
More or less 60 days after Easter, Brazil celebrates Corpus Christi. Though it isn’t a ‘real’ holiday, after all, employers choose if it is observed or not, we all love an extra day to recharge our batteries!
Bonus: Festa Junina
June Party By Emanuel Tadeu
This annual festival happens throughout June. It started under the influence of colonization, but we made it a time to celebrate our best delicacies! Festas Julinas usually happen on streets or parking lots, so keep an eye out for them.
Brazil Festivals and Holidays
August Holidays
Father’s Day – Second Sunday of The Month
Just like with Mother’s Day, this Sunday is all for resting after a great lunch. You might be able to snatch some great deals on tourist attractions!
September Holidays
Independence Day – September 7th
How does the largest country in South America celebrate its independence? We have big parades all over! No matter how small the city is, you can expect schools to put on a show! The biggest ones will happen in capital cities if you’d like to watch ’em.
Because it is a public service holiday, you should expect special working hours for most establishments!
October Holidays
Our Lady of Aparecida Day – October 12th
Our Lady of Aparecida is the patron saint of Brazil, meaning she will get a day in October when we celebrate her. Because she is one of the few saints portrayed with darker skin, our diverse country loves to see itself reflected in a deity.
Although this is a mostly religious celebration, everyone gets a day off to go through life leisurely for once!
Brazil Festivals and Holidays
November Holidays
All Souls’ Day – November 2nd
All Souls’ Day, locally known as ‘Dia dos Finados’, is when the country collectively takes a moment to honor our dead. You can expect heavier traffic around cemeteries but not much changes besides that! Just the usual holiday commerce hours will probably be in place.
Republic Day – November 15th
On this day in 1899, Marshal Deodoro da Fonseca declared Brazil officially independent from Portugal’s rule. It happened originally in Rio, but every year the entire country stops to celebrate such a joyous moment.
Unlike a facultative day, everything but essential services stops working so plan around it!
Black Awareness Day – November 20th
Reminiscent of Juneteenth, this date was chosen to honor Zumbi dos Palmares, a free African who ended up enslaved from the age of six.
The symbology of it is loved by many and starting on December of 2023, this day is now part of our national holiday calendar!
December Holidays
Christmas Eve and Day – December 24th and 25th
Brazilians love to celebrate Christmas just as anyone else! The main difference is that we do most of our traditions on December 24th.
Stores are open until about midday before people go to their own homes to have a nice dinner with their families, and then everybody exchanges gifts at midnight.
December 25th is widely regarded as the day in which we eat leftovers while watching as many Christmas movies as possible.
New Year’s Eve – December 31st
What can I say? We like to start celebrating early. New Year’s Eve in this country is the time we take to reflect on all that we’ve been through before setting goals for the upcoming year.
Traditional New Year’s Eve dinner By Fauxels
If you are coming to share in one of the most beloved days of the year, do some research on what you’d like to have in your life because we believe the color you wear at midnight can influence your luck!
Remember: just as with Carnival, everything gets booked way in advance so think in advance if you want to stay at more popular places.
Brazil Festivals and Holidays: FAQ
What Are Our Major Holidays?
We have nine major celebrations: New Year’s, Easter, Tiradentes, Labor Day, National Independence, Our Lady of Aparecida, All Souls’ Days, Republic Day, and Christmas.
How Many National Holidays Do We Have In Total?
Each of the ones we mentioned above is a nationally observed holiday, meaning a day off whenever they fall on a weekday except for Easter, which is always on Sundays.
Is Carnival Actually a Holiday in Brazil?
While it is not an actual part of the calendar, Carnival comes with two and a half days off as a bonus. We usually get the Monday and Tuesday after the weekend to keep on partying, and Wednesday morning to rest up.
Is Thanksgiving Celebrated Here?
Not at all. Because this is a celebration directly tied to the United States’ history, it wouldn’t make sense to celebrate it in a Latin American country.
