What's on in Curitiba, Brazil through the year

Peak crowds — Oficina de Música de Curitiba, Summer holidays in Brazil

• Festival

  Oficina de Música de Curitiba

  5–25 Jan · usuallyMusic festivalCrowded

  One of Latin America's largest music schools-cum-festivals takes over the Guaíra theatres, churches and parks for about twelve days in January, with ticketed shows and plenty of free recitals. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Psycho Carnival, Summer holidays in Brazil

• Festival

  Psycho Carnival

  1 Feb – 10 Mar · usuallyMusic festivalCrowded

  Curitiba's alternative to samba: Latin America's largest psychobilly festival fills rock bars around the old centre over the carnival days, with bands flying in from Europe and the Americas; running since 2000. Source ↗

Busy — Psycho Carnival, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Festival

  Festival de Teatro de Curitiba

  18 Mar – 12 Apr · usuallyArts festivalBook early

  For a fortnight the city runs the largest theatre festival in Latin America across dozens of stages, with a fringe programme that spills into bars and bus terminals. Tickets for the main billing go in hours. Source ↗

Still on: Psycho Carnival (1 Feb – 10 Mar (usually))

Busy — one of its best months for weather

Nothing new starts in April.

Still on: Festival de Teatro de Curitiba (18 Mar – 12 Apr (usually))

Shoulder season — an ordinary month

• Hazard

  Winter fog at the airport

  15 May – 31 Aug · usuallyFog season

  Dense morning fog regularly shuts Afonso Pena airport for a few hours in the cold months, cancelling or diverting early flights; leave slack before a connection. Source ↗

Shoulder season — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, an ordinary month

• Festival

  Olhar de Cinema

  1–15 Jun · usuallyFilm festival

  Curitiba's international film festival, about ten days in early June with screenings at the Museu Oscar Niemeyer, Opera de Arame and the city's arthouse cinemas. Source ↗

Still on: Winter fog at the airport (15 May – 31 Aug (usually))

Busy — July winter break in Brazil, school holidays in 3 of the markets that fill it

• Nature

  Cerejeiras in flower

  1 Jul – 31 Aug · usuallyCherry blossom

  The Japanese cherries planted by Curitiba's Nikkei community flower in the depth of the southern winter, densest around the Praça do Japão and the Bosque do Japão. A cold snap can strip them in a weekend. Source ↗

Still on: Winter fog at the airport (15 May – 31 Aug (usually))

Shoulder season — an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in August.

Still on: Winter fog at the airport (15 May – 31 Aug (usually)), Cerejeiras in flower (1 Jul – 31 Aug (usually))

Busy — school holidays in 2 of the markets that fill it, one of its best months for weather

• Festival

  Festival de Carne de Onca

  10 Sep – 10 Oct · usuallyFood & drink festival

  Bars across the city compete over carne de onca, Curitiba's raw beef on bread with onion and chives, now listed as city heritage; a few weeks around late September. Source ↗

Shoulder season — an ordinary month

Nothing new starts in October.

Still on: Festival de Carne de Onca (10 Sep – 10 Oct (usually))

Busy — Cantata de Natal

• Festival

  Cantata de Natal

  25 Nov – 23 Dec · usuallyChristmas & New YearCrowded

  Choirs sing from the windows of the old Palácio Avenida on Rua XV several evenings a week through December, and the street below fills half an hour before. It is free and it is what the city does instead of a market. Source ↗

Peak crowds — Cantata de Natal, Summer holidays in Brazil

Nothing new starts in December.

Still on: Cantata de Natal (25 Nov – 23 Dec (usually))