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Cultural calendar

Every month, a different season of festa.

From Natal's Multicultural Carnival in February to the Festa de Sant'Ana in Caicó in July — one of the largest Catholic festivals in Brazil — through thirty days of São João in the sertão and the Réveillon on Ponta Negra beach, RN's calendar is measured in cultural seasons, not months.

Jan

Jan in RN

  • Boi de Reis · Calemba · 6 jan · masked troupe · house-to-housePhoto: Reprodução AgoraRN
    Heritage6 Jan (Epiphany)

    Boi de Reis / Calemba

    Diversas cidades do litoral e Seridó

    Folk play of the Magi: masked groups stage the search for the Christ Child, house by house, from Christmas to 6 January.

    Heritage: Patrimônio Cultural Imaterial · referência IPHAN-RN

  • Bom Jesus dos Navegantes · Touros · sea procession · JanuaryPhoto: Reprodução Blog Hilneth Correia
    Religiousfirst Sunday of January

    Bom Jesus dos Navegantes (Touros)

    Touros

    Touros maritime procession. Decorated fishing boats carry the image of Bom Jesus out to sea.

    Heritage: Patrimônio Cultural Imaterial do Rio Grande do Norte (2024)

Feb

Feb in RN

  • Carnaval de Areia Branca · Praia de Upanema · trios elétricos · regionalPhoto: autoria não identificada
    CarnivalFebruary (movable)

    Carnaval de Areia Branca

    Areia Branca

    Costa Branca beach Carnival, with blocos along the seafront and concerts at Praia de Upanema.

  • Carnaval de Caicó · marchinhas · Zé Pereira · colonial backdropPhoto: Prefeitura de Caicó
    CarnivalFebruary (movable)

    Carnaval de Caicó

    Caicó

    Street Carnival of the Seridó, with 19th-century origins. The Bloco Ala Ursa leads frevos and marchinhas through the colonial town. Often cited as the 3rd largest in the Northeast.

  • Carnaval de Pipa · Chapadão sunset · international crowdPhoto: Gustavo Metiline / Prefeitura de Tibau do Sul
    CarnivalFebruary (movable)

    Carnaval de Pipa

    Tibau do Sul · Pipa

    Pipa beach Carnival. Blocos through the main street, sunset music at Chapadão, an international party.

  • Carnaval e Pré-Carnaval de Natal · Cidade Alta · blocos · R$ 196 mi · 2025Photo: autoria não identificada
    Carnivalpré-Carnaval in January · Carnival in February (movable)

    Carnaval e Pré-Carnaval de Natal

    Natal

    A month of pré-Carnaval in January and the street Carnival in February, through Cidade Alta and Ponta Negra. In 2025 the full season generated R$ 196 million in local revenue, 34.5% above 2024 (Instituto Fecomércio RN).

Mar

Mar in RN

  • Rota de Sabores · Acari · Palácio Titina Medeiros · Seridó terroirPhoto: Carmem Felix
    Gastronomy13-14 March · 1st edition in 2026

    Rota de Sabores de Acari · Do Sertão à Mesa

    Acari · Seridó

    1st Cultural & Gastronomy Festival of Acari, in March 2026, in the Seridó. Award-winning butter cheese, rapadura sweets, quebra-queixo, workshops and an artisan fair.

May

May in RN

  • Derradeiro de Maio · Olho d'Água do Borges · forró pé-de-serra stage · Dorgival Dantas opening São JoãoPhoto: Luana Tayze
    Music & artsmid-May · São João eve

    Derradeiro de Maio

    Olho d'Água do Borges

    Author-driven forró festival hosted by Dorgival Dantas that officially opens the Northeast's São João (Brazil's June festival cycle), staged at Cidade do Forró in Olho d'Água do Borges, in the RN sertão.

    Heritage: Fazenda Tome Xote — Patrimônio Cultural Material do Rio Grande do Norte (2023)

  • Maratona Internacional do Natal · Praia do Forte · 42 km · since 2018Photo: Divulgação
    SportsMay

    Maratona Internacional do Natal

    Natal · Praia do Forte

    International marathon run under CBAT regulations and World Athletics rule 240. Start and finish at Praia do Forte, with 5k, 10k, half-marathon and full marathon distances. 8th edition in 2025.

    Heritage: Regulamento CBAT · regra 240 World Athletics

  • Romaria Santa Rita · Santa Cruz · 56 m statue · sertão pilgrimsPhoto: Adriano Neto
    Religious22 May · mounted pilgrimage

    Romaria de Santa Rita (Santa Cruz)

    Santa Cruz

    Annual pilgrimage to the Santuário de Santa Rita de Cássia in Santa Cruz, home to one of the world's tallest Catholic statues: 56 m total (42 m for the body alone).

Jun

Jun in RN

  • Chuva de Bala no País de Mossoró · Adro da Capela de São Vicente · open-air cast · 1927 resistancePhoto: Prefeitura de Mossoró
    Heritage11-26 Jun · 12 nights

    Chuva de Bala no País de Mossoró

    Mossoró

    Open-air historical-theatrical pageant that dramatises Mossoró's resistance to Lampião's gang on 13 June 1927. Staged at the Adro da Capela de São Vicente as part of the Mossoró Cidade Junina São João programming.

    Heritage: Patrimônio Cultural Imaterial de Mossoró · 99 anos da resistência (2026)

  • Festival de Quadrilhas · figurino · narrativa · classificatório nacionalPhoto: Alex Régis / Secom Natal
    São Joãolate June · 4 days

    Festival de Quadrilhas Juninas de Natal

    Natal · Palácio dos Esportes

    Natal's municipal quadrilha junina competition at the Palácio dos Esportes. The 35th edition (2025) ran with free admission and R$ 576,000 in support and prize money.

  • Mossoró Cidade Junina · open stage · quadrilha · forró pé-de-serraPhoto: Prefeitura de Mossoró
    São Joãothroughout June

    Mossoró Cidade Junina

    Mossoró

    Open-stage São João festival that takes over Mossoró through June with concerts, quadrilha dances and city-wide stage scenography. Among Brazil's largest.

    Heritage: Patrimônio Cultural Imaterial de Mossoró

  • Sabores da Pipa · prix-fixe · camarão rosa · low-season windowPhoto: Pipa.com.br
    Gastronomylate May · early June

    Sabores da Pipa

    Tibau do Sul · Pipa

    Pipa gastronomy festival, run just before the high season. Themed menus across dozens of village restaurants.

  • São João da Pipa · bandeirolas · forró pé-de-serra · village JunePhoto: Reprodução · Dicas de Natal e Pipa
    São JoãoJune

    São João da Pipa

    Tibau do Sul · Pipa

    Pipa's take on the June festival calendar: colourful banners, live forró pé-de-serra, quadrilhas and stalls with canjica, sweet corn and quentão.

  • São João de Natal · Parque das Dunas · forró pé-de-serraPhoto: Megalume
    São João30 May to 30 Jun · nearly a month

    São João de Natal

    Natal

    Capital-city São João, with programming stretched from late May to late June across three venues: Avenida da Alegria, Arena das Dunas and Ginásio Nélio Dias. Forró pé-de-serra, regional food and national headliners.

Jul

Jul in RN

  • Festa de Sant'Ana · Caicó · missa campal · 100k peregrinosPhoto: Prefeitura de Caicó
    Religious16–27 Jul

    Festa de Sant'Ana de Caicó

    Caicó

    Catholic festival with over 260 years of history in the RN sertão. The first Rio Grande do Norte manifestation registered as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Brazil by IPHAN, in 2010. The closing procession gathers more than 100,000 devotees.

    Heritage: IPHAN · Livro das Celebrações (2010)

  • Sant'Ana de Currais Novos · Pavilhão · since 1808Photo: Reprodução · DroneKCN
    Religious16-26 Jul · 10 days

    Festa de Sant'Ana de Currais Novos

    Currais Novos

    Catholic festival honouring Currais Novos's patron saint, with more than 217 editions since 1808. Procession, open-air mass, the Festival da Cachaça and the Feirinha de Sant'Ana run in parallel.

Aug

Aug in RN

  • Encontro do Camarão e da Ostra · Tibau do Sul · since 2017Photo: Reprodução · Pipa.com.br
    GastronomyAugust

    Encontro do Camarão e da Ostra

    Tibau do Sul · Pipa

    Gastronomy festival in Tibau do Sul, a national hub for farmed shrimp and oysters. Village restaurants compete with original recipes, alongside workshops, talks and live music in the central square. Held since 2017.

  • Fest Bossa & Jazz · Pipa · Chapadão sunset · intimate stagesPhoto: Divulgação
    Music & artsAugust · 4 days

    Fest Bossa & Jazz

    Tibau do Sul · Pipa

    The Northeast's largest jazz, blues, bossa nova and instrumental-music festival. In Pipa for over a decade, with stages spread across the village and sunset sets on the Chapadão.

Sep

Sep in RN

  • Auto da Liberdade · Estação das Artes Elizeu Ventania · Mossoró · since 1999Photo: Lucas Bulcão · Secom/PMM
    Heritagelate September · 3 nights

    Auto da Liberdade

    Mossoró

    Open-air historical-theatrical pageant in Mossoró around four foundational acts of the city's identity: the Women's Uprising, the first female vote, the 1883 liberation of enslaved people and the 1927 resistance to Lampião's gang.

    Heritage: Patrimônio histórico-cultural de Mossoró

Oct

Oct in RN

  • Festival 21K de Pipa · multi-sport · half marathon · since ~2017Photo: Divulgação
    SportsOctober · 3 days

    Festival 21K de Pipa

    Tibau do Sul · Pipa

    Multi-sport festival at Praia da Pipa, in October, with 5k, 10k, 21k and 30k races, open-water swimming, duathlon, beach tennis and altinha. More than 25,000 athletes have taken part across eight editions.

  • Festival Gastronômico de Caicó · carne de sol · queijo · cachaçasPhoto: Divulgação
    Gastronomylate October · 2 days + bars and restaurants circuit until 15 Nov

    Festival Gastronômico de Caicó

    Caicó · Praça Monsenhor Walfredo Gurgel

    Seridó gastronomy festival on the cathedral square in Caicó. The 3rd edition (2025) ran with main programming around the Sant'Ana Cathedral plus a bars-and-restaurants circuit that extends over two weeks.

  • Festival Ventos & Mar · Praia de Upanema · music + kite + Kitefest BRPhoto: Reprodução · Sebrae/RN
    SportsOctober · 3 days

    Festival Ventos & Mar

    Areia Branca · Praia de Upanema

    Three days of music, culture and sport at Praia de Upanema, in Areia Branca. National headliners at night and Kitefest BR disciplines (Big Air, Foil, Regatta and Downwind) by day.

  • FLIPIPA · Praça do Pescador · free literary festival · OctoberPhoto: Gustavo Mitiliene
    Heritagelate October · 4 days

    FLIPIPA · Festival Literário da Pipa

    Tibau do Sul · Pipa

    Pipa's Literary Festival, with free programming at Praça do Pescador. Panels, workshops and debates with Brazilian and indigenous-diaspora authors.

  • MADA · Música Alimento da Alma · Arena das Dunas · Natal · since the late 1990sPhoto: Reprodução
    Music & artsOctober · 2 days

    MADA · Música Alimento da Alma

    Natal

    Multi-stage music festival in Natal. The 2025 edition was the 27th, at the Arena das Dunas, with over 30 acts. Listed as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Rio Grande do Norte.

    Heritage: Patrimônio Cultural Imaterial do Rio Grande do Norte

Nov

Nov in RN

  • Festa da Batata · Aldeia Katu · Goianinha · Potiguara identityPhoto: Reprodução SaibaMais
    Indigenous1 November (All Saints' Day)

    Festa da Batata Potiguara do Catu

    Goianinha · Aldeia Katu (TI Catu dos Eleotérios)

    Potiguara celebration of the sweet-potato harvest in Aldeia Katu, Goianinha. Cited as the oldest indigenous event in Rio Grande do Norte.

  • Festa do Caju · Serra do Mel · 2.4 M trees · Corredor Cultural Neném MiguelPhoto: Reprodução Mossoró Hoje / Prefeitura de Serra do Mel
    Gastronomylate November · 3 days

    Festa do Caju de Serra do Mel

    Serra do Mel

    Festa do Caju and Festival do Caju, simultaneous events in Serra do Mel, a municipality of 2.4 million cashew trees spread across 22 villages. The 2025 edition runs 27-29 November at the Corredor Cultural Neném Miguel.

  • Festival DoSol · independent music · Cidade Alta · songwriter scenePhoto: Chris Machado · Divulgação
    Music & artsNovember

    Festival DoSol

    Natal

    Independent music festival of original Natal songwriting. State law 12.075/2025 — Intangible Cultural Heritage.

    Heritage: Patrimônio Cultural Imaterial RN · Lei 12.075/2025

  • Festival Ribeira Boêmia · Natal historic core · November · restored townhousesPhoto: Divulgação
    Music & artsNovember · annual edition

    Festival Ribeira Boêmia

    Natal

    Annual festival in Natal's historic Ribeira district. Live music, food and dance across the old townhouses of the colonial core, every November.

  • Mana Fest · Praia da Pipa · Hawaiian canoe · surf · environmental educationPhoto: Preserve Pipa
    Sportslate November · early December

    Mana Fest

    Tibau do Sul · Pipa

    Sports, nature and sustainability festival at Praia da Pipa. Hawaiian outrigger canoe, surf, longboard, beach tennis, open-water swimming and environmental-education actions.

  • Mostra de Cinema · Gostoso · open-air beach · since 2014Photo: Divulgação
    Music & artsNovember · 6 days

    Mostra de Cinema de Gostoso

    São Miguel do Gostoso

    Annual Gostoso film festival. Open-air beach screenings, free entry. Brazilian and Ibero-American short, medium and feature films.

Dec

Dec in RN

  • Carnatal · Via Costeira · trios elétricos · December · R$ 155 mi (2025)Photo: Divulgação
    Carnivalfirst weekend of December

    Carnatal

    Natal

    Natal's out-of-season Carnival, on the first weekend of December. Sound trucks, blocos and the capital's largest street party. The 2025 edition generated around R$ 155 million in the RN economy.

  • Let's Pipa · Pipa New Year's Eve · beach stages · electronic musicPhoto: Divulgação
    New Year's Eve30-31 December · New Year's Eve

    Let's Pipa · Réveillon

    Tibau do Sul · Pipa

    Pipa's New Year's Eve in festival format: beach stages, electronic-music line-up and headliners from the Brazilian scene. The Pipa hub of RN's multi-hub New Year celebration.

  • Réveillon · Ponta Negra fireworks · 28 °C swim at midnightPhoto: Divulgação
    New Year's Eve31 Dec · 1 Jan

    Réveillon multipolo do RN

    Natal · Pipa · Gostoso · Maracajaú

    Four simultaneous New Year's Eve hubs: fireworks at Ponta Negra, Pipa, Gostoso and Maracajaú.