Boa Vista Cape Verde - Festivals & Carnivals

Festivals & Carnivals

During the year there are numerous festivals celebrated on Boavista.

New Years Day (1st January)

The biggest celebration is in Sal Rei with dances and other festivities

6th January — Festival of the Three Wise Men

Celebrated in the North (Joao Galego, Funda das Figueiras and Cabeca dos Tarafes). There is mass, dances and other social activities. Musicians go from house to house playing music.

3rd May — Carnival Tuesday

Carnival Tuesday in February: celebrated all over the island but the main event is Sal Rei with parades of floats and endless night long parties. The entire population dresses up, this is a very colorful event.

3rd & 4th of May Festival of Santa Cruz & Pidrona

Celebrated on the whole island, but mostly Rabil. The Feast of the Saint Cross is celebrated to commemorate the liberation of the slaves. There is mass, a procession, parades and marching to the sound of drums, whistles and hooting.

8th May — Feast of S.Roque

At Povoacao Velha, with mass, a procession and dancing.

28th May — Festival of "Cruz Nho Lolo"

Celebrated at Estancia de Baixo with goat fighting, coladeras, horse races and the Ball of "Pe Sujo".

13th June — Feast of St. Antonio

A procession marches on a small church ( Ermida) located at the centre of the island, near "Rocha de Santo Antonio" (St. Anthony’s Rock).

4th July — Municipal Day ( Santa Isabel’s Day)

The main festivity on Boavista, held in Sal Rei. Santa Isabel is the Patron Saint of Boavista. A lot of people from other islands come to Boavista. There is a Sacred Mass, horse racing, boat racing, football tournaments, cultural activities and dancing. Before the mass, there is a religious ceremony of boats in the Bay of Sal Rei. The boats come close to St Barbara and Ka Santana, then follows the religious ceremony on land, consisting of processions, prayers, singing and blessings led by the Priest of the Parish near Cruz das Almas on Santa Barbara St.

24th July - Feast of Saint Joao Baptista

In the parish of the same name, with processions and offerings.

15th August – Feast of Nossa Senhora da Piedade

(Our Lady of Mercy) — in Joao Galego.

16th August — Feast of Saint Roque

In Rabil.

3rd Weekend in August — Festival of Music of Praia de Santa Cruz

Artists from other islands and abroad perform. Usually a week after the Festival of Baia das Gatas in S.Vincente.

8th December — Feast of "Imaculada Conceicao"

(Patroness of the immaculate Conception) — at Povoacao Velha.

to top