Festa Junina: The June Festival｜Nami Minaki Sandra｜KnowLedge World Network｜Activities

Every June, a festival called Festa Junina is held. It is a festival for the Portuguese to celebrate St. John the Baptist (São Joao in Portuguese), and people in Brazil also celebrate St. Anthony (Santo Antonio) and St. Peter (São Pedro) during the festival. The festival of St. John is called Joanina, and the celebration of the three saints takes place in June (junho), hence the name Festa Junina.

St. John is the saint of fire, St. Anthony the saint of marriage, and St. Peter the saint of rain. Northeast Brazil is an arid area, and people there pray to St. Peter for a fine crop harvest. The corn harvest is also in June, so this festival is celebrated as the local countryside festival.

Small shops like food stalls are set up during the festival where vendors sell cakes and cookies made with corn, sweet potato, pumpkin, coconuts, peanuts, and other ingredients. You can also find confectionery sections for the festival at grocery stores during this month.

One essential attraction of the festival is the dança da quadrilha. This is a type of folk dance portraying a mock countryside wedding. People dress up as country folk (caipira) for the dance. Men wear straw hats and a checked shirt and pants covered in patches. They also wear neckerchiefs and draw on a unibrow and facial hair stubble. Some people also blacken out a few teeth to make them look like they are missing. Women wear straw hats and colorful dresses with aprons over them, and they put their hair in braids. They add freckles and make their cheeks rosy red with makeup.

Music is played during the festival and you can play games like ring toss, a fishing game, and bingo. In the fun custom called Correio Elegante, you can send an anonymous message to someone you like. As you are exchanging messages, St. Anthony may find you a good marriage partner.

Bonfires are lit at night, and hot wine filled with small pieces of apple called Vinho quente is drunk. June is cold, so adults drink hot wine to warm themselves up.

Festa Junina is originally a Catholic celebration and used to be held only in church squares, but now it has also become a school event and festivities are held at playgrounds and gymnasiums too. Some workplaces rent a space where people can celebrate for employees and their families to enjoy. Festivities are also held in central squares in towns and cities, so you can enjoy the celebrations in all sorts of places on weekends throughout June. Even if you don’t join in the dancing, you will surely enjoy the fun all the more if you go dressed up as country folk.

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