In the video above, raise a caipirinha, Brazil's iconic national cocktail, with Danna Galvan, Trip Experience Leader for New! Brazil in Depth: Rio de Janeiro, Amazon Cruise & the Pantanal, who introduces you to the food, drink, and music enjoyed during Rio's Festa Junina celebration.
Each year before Lent, all eyes turn to Rio de Janeiro as it hosts the biggest Carnival celebration in the world—a spectacular event that requires almost year-long preparation. But the city is no stranger to festivals at other times of year, such as Festa Junina, a midsummer tradition that lasts the entire month of June and honors the feast days of three saints: Anthony (June 13), John (June 24), and Peter (June 29). Observed throughout the country, it is Brazil’s largest festival outside Carnival, and blends elements of Indigenous culture with influences from the Portuguese colonial period from the 16th to the 19th centuries.
In her video above, Trip Experience Leader Giordanna "Danna" Galvan takes us inside the beloved celebration and its traditional food, drink, music, and costumes. "The festival celebrates the culture of the countryside," says Danna. "The songs talk about the lives of people from the interior of the country, and mention faith in Saint John, who protects them." The participants’ attire is a nod to Brazil’s rural farmers, known as caipiras, with men sporting plaid shirts and straw hats, and women in checkered dresses. In contrast to the glitz and glamor of Carnival, "it’s a party where everyone shows their simpler side."
Music and dancing are central to the celebrations. "The typical music is called forro, and it has a rhythm that invites you to dance," says Danna. It accompanies a type of square dance known as the quadrilha, which symbolizes the fertility of land during harvest time and tells the story of a bride and groom. Festivities also include fireworks, bonfires, and traditional foods that honor the bounty of the corn harvest.
For travelers who visit Brazil in June, Festa Junina offers an opportunity to experience a more laid-back Brazilian festival that doesn’t come with the added expense of Carnival. However, as Carnival preparations take place for eight months of the year, it’s possible to preview the spectacle—as O.A.T travelers do during a "Carnival Experience" on New! Brazil in Depth: Rio de Janeiro, Amazon Cruise & the Pantanal. "The experience takes place where the Samba schools prepare everything for the parade," says Danna. "Our travelers learn the history and importance of the festival. They dance, dress up in costumes, play percussion, and see the whole preparation process." She notes that the lengthy preparations have a positive impact on the local economy by creating jobs and career opportunities. "It gives a voice to our society to express many themes through art—with lots of joy and contagious music."
While O.A.T. typically doesn’t visit Brazil during the actual Carnival, Danna did have one lucky group who got an impromptu taste of the experience. "We had to walk two blocks from the hotel to the Welcome Dinner restaurant, and there was a pre-Carnival of about a thousand people," Danna says. "I bought colorful necklaces and we made a little train and danced in the middle of the crowd. They had a lot of fun!"
Experience the festive vibes of Rio at any time of year during our New! Brazil in Depth: Rio de Janeiro, Amazon Cruise & the Pantanal adventure.
