Festas Juninas

[Homem de Gelo]

From the last week of May until the end of the first week of July, Brazil is taken over by the 'Festas Juninas', which can be roughly translated into 'June's Parties'. What happens at these parties is that they are all filled with typical food and some of our country and folk music and dancing, which we call 'forró'. 'Forró' is actually a portuguese adaptation of the english expression 'for all'. People in the north and north-east used to say the country/folk music was for everybody, for all, and then we slowly adapted the pronounciation until it became a Brazilian word.

Anyhow, there's no escaping the festas juninas. I've already been to one this month, and I'll go to another one today and yet another one on friday. What's good about these parties is that forró can/should only be danced between a man and a woman. And the dancing is quite sensual and a little provocative. So those who dance well inevitably impress the women, and dancing with a woman is half way to getting to do more things with her. I'll be honest with you, I'm not a great forró dancer, so I have to make up with some other things such as my irresistable charm and my dashing looks.

I'll take my digi-cam to the festa junina tonight and I hope I can take some pictures.

Anyhow, what I really want is you to tell me about these typical parties in your country. Is there any time of the year in which your entire country is taken by any traditional parties and festivities? Do you have any pictures or experiences to share?

[bk4uyeah]

In The United States, there aren't really any parties on the same scale as you say, however, on July 4th (Independence Day) many people attend parties, watch firework displays, etc.

[whiteballz]

maybe not on the same scale as these partys, but almost every austalian family watches/listens to the melbourne cup. its a horse race, (which i dont really like)
but in our class rooms we are allowed to listen to the race on radio or tune the T.V's into the cup and watch it live. it really is the race that stops our nation

"i love a sunburnt country..."