Public holidays in Brazil facts for kids
In Brazil, public holidays are special days off from school and work. These holidays can be set by the whole country (federal), by individual states, or even by specific cities. Most of these holidays are celebrated all over Brazil.
Besides the holidays listed below, the Brazilian Constitution also says that election days are national holidays. General elections happen every two years, usually on the first Sunday of October, and sometimes on the last Sunday of October if there's a second round of voting. Brazil also celebrates many other religious and cultural holidays.
Contents
Brazil's Public Holidays
Important National Holidays
These are the main holidays celebrated across Brazil:
| Date | What it's called in English | What it's called in Portuguese | What it's about |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day | Ano Novo / Confraternização Universal | This day celebrates the start of a new year. People often count down to midnight on the night before. It also marks the end of the holiday season. |
| April 21 | Tiradentes Day | Dia de Tiradentes | This day remembers the death of Tiradentes in 1792. He was a national hero who fought for Brazil to become an independent republic. |
| May 1 | Labour Day | Dia do Trabalho | This holiday celebrates the hard work and achievements of all workers. |
| September 7 | Independence Day | Dia da Independência | This day celebrates when Brazil declared its independence from Portugal on September 7, 1822. |
| October 12 | Our Lady of Aparecida | Nossa Senhora Aparecida | This day honors the Virgin Mary, known as Our Lady of Aparecida. She is the patron saint of Brazil. |
| November 2 | All Souls' Day | Dia de Finados | This is a Christian holiday. It's a day for people to remember and honor family and friends who have passed away. |
| November 15 | Republic Proclamation Day | Proclamação da República | This day celebrates the end of the Brazilian Empire. It marks the day Brazil became a republic on November 15, 1889. |
| November 20 | Black Consciousness Day | Dia da Consciência Negra | This day celebrates Black Consciousness. It honors Zumbi dos Palmares, a leader who fought for freedom. |
| December 25 | Christmas Day | Natal | This holiday celebrates the birth of Jesus. |
Other Special Days
Brazil also has many other important days that are celebrated, even if they are not always national holidays:
- Carnival Tuesday: This is the main day of Carnival, a huge celebration with music, dancing, and parades.
- Ash Wednesday: This is the Wednesday right after Carnival. It marks the last day of the Carnival celebrations.
- Good Friday: This Friday before Easter Sunday is a holiday in many cities.
- Mother's Day: Brazilians celebrate Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May.
- Corpus Christi: This religious holiday is celebrated on a Thursday, 60 days after Easter Sunday.
- Dia dos Namorados: This is Brazil's version of Valentine's Day. It's celebrated on June 12. On this day, couples exchange gifts and cards. It's celebrated the day before St. Anthony of Padua's day, who is seen as a saint for those seeking love.
- Festas Juninas: These are Catholic festivals celebrated in June. They honor Santo Antônio (June 13), São João (June 24), and São Pedro (June 29). These festivals are very popular, especially in Brazil's Northeast region.
- Father's Day: Brazilians celebrate Father's Day on the second Sunday in August.
- Children's Day: This day for children is celebrated on October 12. It happens on the same day as the feast of Our Lady of Aparecida.
Local Holidays Across Brazil
Brazilian law allows each state to create one state holiday. Also, each city can create up to four local holidays. Here are a few examples of these regional holidays:
- January 20: Saint Sebastian (São Sebastião) Day, celebrated only in the city of Rio de Janeiro.
- January 25: Founding of São Paulo (Aniversário de São Paulo), celebrated only in the city of São Paulo.
- March 6: Pernambucan Revolt, celebrated only in the state of Pernambuco.
- July 2: Bahia Independence Day, celebrated only in the state of Bahia.
- July 9: Constitutionalist Revolution (Revolução Constitucionalista), celebrated only in the State of São Paulo. This day remembers a historical event.
- September 20: Farroupilha's Revolution (Revolução Farroupilha), celebrated only in the state of Rio Grande do Sul.
- November 30: Evangelical Day (Dia do Evangélico), celebrated only in the Federal District.
- December 19: Emancipation of the Province of Paraná, celebrated only in the state of Paraná.
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Public holidays in Brazil Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.