Florianopolis Events, Things to Do and Festivals 2014 / 2015

(Florianopolis, Santa Catarina, Brazil)



Brazil is a country known for its partying and Florianopolis certainly enjoys its share of the pie, although don't come expecting anything that quite rivals the Mardi Gras carnival (carnaval) celebrations and festivals of Rio de Janeiro. February sees the start of the annual carnival events in Florianopolis, with a series of beach parties and similar things to do being held around the Barra da Lagoa area.

There are plenty of GLBT-based 'Gay Pop' events that are part of the Florianopolis carnival, while the annual Pride festival in September (the Parada da Diversidade), rivals some of Brazil's very best and now sees attendance figures approaching 50,000 people.


Florianopolis has become renowned for its exceptional surfing conditions and regularly serves as the principal location for the popular World Tour of the Association of Surfing Professionals (WCT) in late April / early May. Much of the surfing action tends to take place off the Praia da Joaquina (Joaquina Beach), just to the south of the Praia Mole, with big prize money attracting leading surfers from all over the world.

Florianopolis Calendar of Festivals and Events 2014 / 2015

If you are a keen ballroom dancer, then be sure to check out the Congresso Internacional de Tango (International Tango Festival) each February, which includes a packed tango show at the Centro Integral de Cultura theatre.

Easter is a lively time in Florianopolis, with many religious events taking place on Good Friday and Easter Sunday. Some 40 days later, look out for the Festa do Divino (Holy Spirit Feast), followed soon after by the Corpus Christi festivities.

Something quite unique to Florianopolis is the National Oyster Festival, which reliably draws huge crowds each October and celebrates the region's bountiful oyster harvest. Expect lots of freshly prepared oysters, accompanied by a myriad of other seafood-based dishes.