After two extremely successful consecutive years, Sanford has the pleasure of inviting you to the best brazilian festival in London, the Festa Junina!
Festa Junina is the annual Brazilian celebration which take place in the middle of winter (in the southern hemisphere) and are most associated with the Brazilian Northeastern area, but celebrated in the whole of Brazil, mainly on the days following the Catholic feast of Saint Anthony, John the Baptist and Saint Peter.
The Brazilian north-east is largely arid or semi-arid. These popular festivals not only coincide with the rainy seasons of most states in the north-east but they also provide the people with an opportunity to give thanks to Saint Peter and Saint John for the rain. They also celebrate rural life and feature typical clothing, food, dance (particularly quadrilha, which is similar to square dancing), and music.
Usually taking place in an arraial, a large, open space outdoors, men dress up as farm boys with braces and straw hats and women wear pigtails, freckles, painted gap teeth and red-checkered dresses, all in a loving tribute to the origins of the music, and of themselves.
If you’re coming, dress up for the Quadrilha. This traditional dance is a Brazilian form of square dancing that is a major part of the Festa Junina celebrations. Men dress in suspenders and straw hats to mimic farm hands and women dress up like gap-toothed, pig-tailed farm girls. The dance celebrates Brazilian county music.
Alternatively, wear colorful clothing. While many people dress in costumes similar to the peasant-like Quadrilha costumes, even those who don’t will sport brightly colored outfits to praise Saint John the Baptist.
Try out several of the regional foods served during Festa Junina. The festival is also a celebration of harvesting corn, so many dishes feature corn. Traditional dishes include canjica, which tastes a bit like sweet popcorn, and pamonha, which is akin to a tamale.
The third edition of our English version of this colourful festival will bring you delicious traditional food, correio elegante (cheeky mail), games like the prison (watch out!) and jump the bonfire, folk dances like forro and baiao, and a lot of noise, drum n’ bass, electro, Punk, Dub and whatever the sun brings. Free entrance, so bring your friends and family!
For further information email info @ festajunina.co.uk
