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Jericoacoara’s calendar revolves around two things: wind and music. The strongest trade winds of the year, from July to November, bring the biggest kitesurfing competitions, while the summer months fill with forró festivals, beach parties and a famous New Year celebration. Most events are free to watch, with only ticketed parties and competitions charging entry. Here is the complete Jericoacoara events and festivals calendar.
Jericoacoara Events and Festivals: Kitesurfing Competitions
GKA Big Air Kite World Cup
The GKA Big Air Kite World Cup brings the world’s top big-air riders to Jericoacoara each November, typically in the first half of the month, to launch off the strong trade winds on Malhada Beach. Runs run over four to six days with a live broadcast, and watching from the beach is free. The exact dates move slightly each year, so check the GKA Kite World Tour site before booking. This is the single busiest sports event of the year, so book accommodation well ahead through our where to stay in Jericoacoara guide.
Wind Festival
The Wind Festival celebrates the region’s wind with kitesurfing demonstrations, beginner clinics and beach parties, usually spread across July and August when the wind is at its most consistent. Schools open free trial sessions, and local bands play on the beach at night. Dates vary, but the event reliably lands in the second half of the southern-hemisphere winter. Pair it with a trip during the driest months, detailed in our Jericoacoara weather by month guide.
Jericoacoara Events and Festivals: Music and Culture
Festival de Forró
The Festival de Forró brings the accordion-driven music of northeast Brazil to the village, with live bands playing in the square and bars on Rua Principal over several nights. It typically runs in July, drawing crowds from across Ceará. Most shows are free, and the event gives a natural introduction to the region’s dance culture. For the best places to hear live music the rest of the year, see our Jericoacoara neighborhoods guide.
Sertões Rally
The Sertões Rally, one of South America’s biggest off-road rallies, occasionally uses Jericoacoara and the surrounding dunes as a stage, with bikes, cars and trucks passing through the area. When it visits, road access is briefly restricted around the route, and spectators gather at designated viewpoints. Dates are announced per edition, usually in August. If you are in the region during the event, expect some transfer delays, see our Jericoacoara travel tips article for transfer options.
Jericoacoara Events and Festivals: Seasonal Holidays
Reveillon (New Year’s Eve)
Reveillon is Jericoacoara’s biggest night of the year, with open-air parties along Main Beach, fireworks over the water and a village-wide street celebration that runs until sunrise. Many pousadas require a three to five night minimum stay around December 31, and prices peak. If you want to be here for New Year, book by September. It is also a great window for swimming and wind, as covered in our best time to visit Jericoacoara guide.
Carnival
Carnival, in February or March depending on the year, brings a smaller, more relaxed version of Brazil’s national party to Jericoacoara, with bloco street parties and live music rather than the huge parades of Rio or Salvador. It lands in the rainy season, so expect afternoon showers between the celebrations. Crowds are moderate and accommodation is easier to find than at New Year. For a fuller list of what to do between parties, see our things to do in Jericoacoara guide.
Jericoacoara Events and Festivals: Annual Calendar
The busiest months for events are July to November, matching the wind season, with the GKA World Cup in November as the headline. New Year on December 31 is the peak single date, and Carnival brings a smaller burst in February or March. For a complete picture of the village and how to plan around these dates, start with our Jericoacoara travel guide hub page.
