Manaus’s event calendar reflects its unique position as an Amazonian city with a strong indigenous heritage, European opera tradition from the rubber boom, and modern Brazilian festival culture. The city hosts events year-round, with the biggest gatherings concentrated in the drier months from June through October. For climate context when planning around specific events, consult the Manaus weather by month guide.
Manaus Events and Festivals: Major Annual Events
Carnival (February or March)
Manaus Carnival runs the same dates as the rest of Brazil, 40 days before Easter. The main parade happens at the Sambodromo on Avenida do Samba in the Alvorada neighborhood, where samba schools compete over two nights (Saturday and Sunday before Ash Wednesday). Tickets cost R$30-80 (US$6-16) for bleacher seats. Street parties (blocos) happen throughout Centro Historico and Ponta Negra, with the Banda da Bica bloco in the historic center being the most traditional, running since 1944. The event is smaller and less commercialized than Rio or Salvador’s Carnival, making it more accessible for visitors who want the experience without the overwhelming crowds.
Festival Amazonas de Opera (April to May)
Brazil’s most important opera festival runs for about four weeks between late April and late May at the Teatro Amazonas. The program typically includes 3-4 full productions mixing standard repertoire (Verdi, Puccini) with works by Brazilian composers like Carlos Gomes. Tickets range from R$20-100 (US$4-20) and sell through the theater box office and online at the Secretaria de Cultura do Amazonas website. Opening night is a formal affair with attendees in evening dress. The festival draws opera enthusiasts from across South America and Europe. Book accommodation well in advance as central hotels fill up.
Festival de Parintins (Late June)
While the festival itself takes place in Parintins, 420km downstream on the Amazon River, Manaus is the launch point. From mid-June through the last weekend of the month, the city buzzes with pre-festival events: themed parties at bars and clubs, pop-up stalls selling festival merchandise, and a parade of boats departing from the Porto de Manaus carrying fans to the festival (the boat journey takes 18-24 hours each way). If you cannot make it to Parintins, the Festival Amazonas de Danca runs concurrently at Teatro Amazonas as a dance-focused alternative. The Parintins event features the famous Boi-Bumba competition between the red and blue teams (Garantido and Caprichoso) at the Bumbodromo, a 35,000-seat arena shaped like a bull’s head. Flights to Parintins from Manaus sell out months in advance; the riverboat is the traditional and more affordable route.
Boi Manaus (October)
Manaus’s largest homegrown cultural festival celebrates Bumba Meu Boi, a folk tradition from northern Brazil that tells the story of a resurrected ox through music, dance, and theater. Held over four days at the Sambodromo, the event features dozens of performance groups from across Amazonas state competing in front of crowds of 15,000-20,000. The festival includes food stalls serving regional dishes like tacaca and x-caboclinho, craft markets, and a strong emphasis on indigenous Amazonian cultural traditions. Entry is free for most events, with VIP tribune access available for about R$50 (US$10). The city also hosts pre-festival warm-up events throughout September.
Reveillon (December 31)
New Year’s Eve in Manaus centers on Ponta Negra beach, where the municipal government stages a large fireworks display over the Rio Negro starting at midnight. An estimated 100,000-150,000 people gather along the 2km beachfront promenade. Live music stages feature local and national acts from about 20:00 onward. Hotels along Ponta Negra (like Tropical Manaus) sell out by November and charge premium rates for the night. Wear white, as is Brazilian tradition, and book your return transport in advance: Uber surge pricing can reach 4-5x normal rates after midnight, and wait times may exceed an hour.
Manaus Events and Festivals: Religious and Cultural Events
Cirio de Nazare (Second Sunday of October)
A Catholic procession honoring Our Lady of Nazareth that draws 50,000-80,000 faithful through the streets of Manaus. The 5km route runs from the Catedral Metropolitana in Centro to the Santuario de Nossa Senhora de Nazare. It is a smaller version of the massive Cirio de Nazare in Belem, but significant for the local Catholic community. Visitors are welcome to observe or walk alongside the procession.
Festival de Cinema da Amazonia (November)
The Amazon Film Festival screens Brazilian and international films with an environmental and indigenous focus for about ten days in November. Venues include Teatro Amazonas and several cultural centers. Most screenings are free or cost R$10-20 (US$2-4). The festival has become a significant platform for Amazonian filmmakers and indigenous media projects in recent years.
Manaus Events and Festivals: Month-by-Month Calendar
- January: Reveillon (Jan 1), pre-Carnival warm-up events
- February/March: Carnival (dates vary)
- April-May: Festival Amazonas de Opera
- June: Festival de Parintins (pre-events in Manaus)
- July: Amazonas de Danca (dance festival)
- August-September: Pre-Boi Manaus events
- October: Boi Manaus, Cirio de Nazare
- November: Festival de Cinema da Amazonia
- December: Reveillon (Dec 31)
