Which Amazonian festival is held annually in Parintins, Brazil?

The Parintins Folk Festival is held annually in Parintins, a city on Brazil’s Tupinambarana Island in the Amazon region. The festival is a large theatrical competition based on the boi-bumbá tradition.

Two teams compete: Garantido, represented by a white bull with a red heart, and Caprichoso, represented by a blue bull. Performances combine music, dance, elaborate costumes, floats, Indigenous and Amazonian imagery, and a story centred on the death and resurrection of an ox.

The main performances take place in the Bumbódromo, a purpose-built arena in Parintins. The event usually occurs over three nights in late June and attracts visitors from across Brazil and abroad.

The festival is sometimes described simply as Boi-Bumbá or Festival de Parintins. It should not be confused with Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival: both are major Brazilian celebrations, but Parintins has its own characters, teams, music, and competitive format.