Festivals and Events

Every year during Easter, Goiás Velho [1] is the stage for one of Brazil [2]’s most traditional and haunting religious events, the Procissão de Fogaréu. At midnight on Ash Wednesday, all the lights in town are extinguished and pounding drums and blazing torches accompany a procession of 40 robed and hooded figures, as they set off from the Igreja da Boa Morte.

While chorales sing Latin hymns and residents brandish candles, these farricocos parade around town with the mission of finding and crucifying Christ. The scene is quite medieval and attracts thousands of spectators.

nother big draw, although in a completely different vein, is the Festival Internacional de Cinema Ambiental (www.fica.art.br [3]), held in early June, which brings together environmentally themed films and videos from all over the world.