Bumba Meu-Boi Festival

The festival of Bumba Meu-Boi is held in Manaus, Brazil where you will enjoy traditional cultural, dance, music, and food. The city of Manaus is not very well known in Brazil since most people head to the larger cities. However, spending time in this part of Brazil is a very, enjoyable experience. Manaus is off the beaten path, a relatively isolated place that is somewhat expensive to visit.

Since reaching Manaus by road is near impossible for the majority of the year, you need to fly in and then take the Pan-American Highway. However, because this highway is not paved all the way through and rainy seasons make it impassable, you have to cross over wooden bridges or take ferries. Once in Manaus, you will find about 1.5 million residents. One of the most beautiful sites to visit is what is called the Econtra das Aquas, which translates to “meeting of the waters”, a place where the two rivers come together.


During the 19th century, this was a popular settlement location for rubber barons. Throughout the century, many architectural structures were built, many that still exist, which include the Amazon Theater built in 1896, the Place Justice from 1900, and the Rio Negro Palace around the same time. In addition, there is a wonderful market on the riverfront that was established in 1883. You will also find that Manaus offers a number of very nice hotel accommodations, some affordable and some rather expensive.

However, when visiting Manaus, you must take time to enjoy a tropical tour and the festivals so popular to this region. One of the largest is called Outside of Carnaval, which actually takes place throughout Brazil but the second largest is Bumba Meu-Boi, probably the most famous. Boi is a style of dance and music, known for celebrating the people living in this region. Natives living in Manaus will tell you that Bumba Meu-Boi is more like a folklore festival, occurring during the end of June on the island of Parintins, just an hour from Manaus.

The festival of Bumba Meu-Boi features Boi dancers, talented singers, and lots of music. During the nighttime celebration, two groups, the Caprichoso and Garantido hold a pageant of sight and sound that is amazing. This particular festival in Brazil has been celebrated for 80 years. However, an additional festival has been established called Boi Manaus, which occurs in October. Although similar to the larger festival, Boi Manaus is not quite as grand. The cost to enjoy the Boi Bumba festival is very affordable and well worth experiencing. With this, you will have a unique opportunity to see the natives and their lifestyle up close.


Last Updated: 10/19/2006 3:14:00 PM

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