Festival of São Benedito

A religious display that is Afro-Brazilian in origin, the festival of São Benedito takes place in June and is a tradition that has been kept alive by the African people who settled in Mato Grosso to work in the mines, on the farms, in factories and as domestic servants. The festival has taken place since 1718 at the time Cuiabá was founded, and is dedicated to the Afro-Brazilian Saint Benedito, patron of the city, featuring folkdances such as the siriri, the cururu, the congo, the boi-a-serra and the masked dance, in addition to the plentiful distribution of typical Cuiaban sweetmeats.