Iemanjá Festival in Salvador, Brazil, on 2 February 2027

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BRAZIL · SALVADOR · FESTIVAL

The Iemanjá festival draws people from across Salvador, Brazil, to the Rio Vermelho neighbourhood every 2 February to give flowers to the sea goddess. In 2027 the date falls on Tuesday 2 February, two days before Salvador’s Carnival opens.

For a US reader, it is one of the most visible public ceremonies of Candomblé, an Afro-Brazilian religion, and visitors are expected to show respect. The 2027 programme has not been published, so this guide sets out the traditional pattern and says what could change.

What the Iemanjá Festival Is

Iemanjá is a goddess of African origin, known as the queen of the waters and of the sea. Visit Salvador, a tourism website for the city, says her name comes from a Yoruba phrase meaning Mother whose children are fish.

She is honoured as the protector of fishermen and of people who earn their living from the sea. Visit Salvador calls the Festa de Iemanjá, Portuguese for Iemanjá Festival, the largest public religious event of Candomblé in the state of Bahia.

Candomblé is an Afro-Brazilian religion that honours African deities called orixás, and Iemanjá is one of them. The same site says it is the only one of Salvador’s most important popular festivals not tied to a Catholic celebration.

The Colônia de Pescadores, the local fishermen’s association, runs the Iemanjá festival together with public bodies and civil society. Visit Salvador counts it among the most traditional and intense popular festivals in Bahia.

The Date and the Rhythm of the Day

The Iemanjá festival falls on 2 February every year, which is Tuesday 2 February in 2027. Visit Salvador says it starts the night before, on Monday 1 February, at the Casa de Iemanjá in Rio Vermelho.

At dawn, around 4:45 in the morning, fireworks officially open the day. That is 2:45 in the morning in New York, because Salvador is two hours ahead of New York in February.

The line to leave offerings forms early and lasts all day. In the first part of the morning, the percussionist Carlinhos Brown, a well-known Bahian musician, often takes part with a large group of drummers.

The high point of the Iemanjá festival is the departure of the boats that carry the main offering out to sea. It happens at 4:00 in the afternoon, when the fishermen sail out in procession.

Samba, percussion and capoeira groups, the last being an Afro-Brazilian martial art with music, pass along the seafront all day. Bars and restaurants across the neighbourhood stage their own shows, and these are the traditional times, not a 2027 schedule.

Where It Happens in Rio Vermelho

Rio Vermelho is a coastal neighbourhood of Salvador, the capital of Bahia state in north-east Brazil. Visit Salvador places the main offering at the Casa de Iemanjá, the goddess’s house, on Rua da Paciência.

People from across the city come there to hand over their gifts, and the site says the area is organised for the flow. Visit Salvador recommends watching the sunrise on the beach with your feet in the sand, to the sound of Umbanda and Candomblé drums.

Umbanda is a related Afro-Brazilian religion. Visit Salvador says most people now bring only flowers, because combs, mirrors, soaps, perfumes and jewellery thrown into the sea are a danger to it.

What to Wear and How to Take Part

Visit Salvador advises dressing in white or blue for the Iemanjá festival. It says this shows respect for the rituals even if you do not follow the religion.

It also suggests a hat, because the sun is strong and there is almost no shade in Rio Vermelho. Keep your belongings close, the site adds.

You can join the queue at the Casa de Iemanjá with flowers in hand, or take a place on a boat. Visit Salvador says several boatmen can be hired on the spot and advises arriving early to get a place.

Visit Salvador calls it essential to guard your belongings carefully among the crowds. The State Department advises travellers not to resist any robbery attempt physically.

Other Iemanjá Celebrations in Salvador

The Presente Ecológico, a flowers-only offering at the Solar do Unhão on Avenida Contorno, normally takes place a weekend before 2 February. In 2023 it was held on 29 January, and no 2027 date is published.

The Lavagem de Itapuã, a washing of church steps by women in traditional Bahian dress, is held in the seaside neighbourhood of Itapuã. In 2023 it fell on 9 February, shortly before Carnival.

Getting There and Where to Stay

Visit Salvador says the whole neighbourhood perimeter is closed to cars on the day. Bars and restaurants hold events, the streets fill with people, and its advice is to leave the car at home.

For visitors from outside the city, Visit Salvador suggests staying close to the festival. Salvador’s Carnival then opens two days later, on Thursday 4 February.

Salvador Bahia Airport, with the code SSA, serves the city. Our <a href=”https://www.riotimesonline.com/expat-cities/salvador/”>Salvador city guide</a> covers neighbourhoods, transport and costs.

Entry Rules and Safety for US Visitors

US citizens need an electronic visa to enter Brazil, a rule in force since Thursday 10 April 2025, says the State Department. Our <a href=”https://www.riotimesonline.com/brazil-visa-us-citizens-e-visa-2026/”>Brazil visa guide</a> lists the e-visa fee at US$80.90 and processing of up to 10 business days.

The passport must be valid on the date of entry and have one blank page, says the State Department. Our visa guide advises applying about two months before travel, so a trip for 2 February should start the application by early December.

The State Department rates Brazil Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution, because of crime. Its advisory, updated on 29 May 2025, warns of violent crime in urban areas day or night and does not single out Salvador.

It advises staying alert, not resisting a robbery and avoiding walking on beaches after dark. It also warns that criminals target foreigners through dating apps or at bars before drugging and robbing them.

The Iemanjá festival begins before sunrise on the seafront, which is when the State Department advice on beaches after dark matters most. US government employees are advised against municipal buses because of the risk of robbery and assault, especially at night.

The US Consular Agency in Salvador is at Avenida Tancredo Neves 1632, Salvador Trade Center, Torre Sul, Room 1401. After hours its calls go to the consulate general in Rio de Janeiro on (21) 3823-2029 inside Brazil.

In an emergency, dial 190 for police, 192 for an ambulance or 193 for the fire department. Check the State Department advisory again before you fly, because it can change.

Respecting a Religious Ritual

The Iemanjá festival is a religious ceremony as much as a street party. Visit Salvador says white or blue clothing shows respect for its rituals.

The offerings are sacred to the people who bring them, and visitors are guests at a religious ceremony. Visit Salvador describes Iemanjá as a beautiful mermaid with long hair and a blue dress.

Fitting It Into a Salvador Trip

The <a href=”https://www.riotimesonline.com/festival-de-verao-salvador-2027/”>Salvador Summer Festival</a> runs on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 January 2027. Salvador’s official <a href=”https://www.riotimesonline.com/salvador-carnival-2027-dates-tickets-2026/”>Carnival</a> then runs from Thursday 4 to Tuesday 9 February 2027.

Our <a href=”https://www.riotimesonline.com/brazil-events-calendar-2026-2027/”>Brazil events calendar</a> lists the big dates through October 2027. Together they make a three-week Bahia trip built around the Iemanjá festival possible.

What Is Not Confirmed Yet

The 2027 programme for the Iemanjá festival is not published, so times, ceremonies and street closures may change. The traditional times in this guide come from the Visit Salvador page, last updated on 10 September 2025.

Traffic closures, security plans, public transport, boat prices and hotel rates for 2 February 2027 are not known. Check them with your hotel and the boatmen on the day.

Visit Salvador says the festival will be listed as intangible heritage of Salvador, a listing that is not confirmed yet. Flight schedules to Salvador for February 2027 are not known either.

More: Latin America news in English, every day from The Rio Times.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is the Iemanjá festival in Salvador in 2027?

It falls on Tuesday 2 February 2027 in the Rio Vermelho neighbourhood, with celebrations traditionally starting the night before. The 2027 programme has not been published, so times may change.

Do I need a ticket for the Iemanjá festival?

The city tourism site describes people delivering gifts at the Casa de Iemanjá and mentions no ticket. Boat places are hired from boatmen on the spot, and bars in the area run their own events.

What should I wear to the Iemanjá festival?

Wear white or blue and bring a hat, because there is little shade. Keep valuables close, and note that the State Department rates Brazil Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution.

Sources: Visit Salvador, Festa de Iemanjá (date, organiser, programme pattern, dress, safety tips; page updated 10 September 2025), accessed 31 October 2026; Visit Salvador, events agenda (lists Festa de Iemanjá and Lavagem de Itapuã among traditional events, no 2027 dates), accessed 31 October 2026; US State Department, Brazil travel advisory (Level 2, 29 May 2025), accessed 31 October 2026; US State Department, Brazil country information (visa, passport, consular agency Salvador, emergency numbers), accessed 31 October 2026; Salvador Bahia Airport (code SSA), accessed 31 October 2026.

Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Editor-in-Chief · Editorial standards · Report an error

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