Festa de Iemanjá

Salvador's largest public Candomblé celebration honors Iemanjá, the orixá of the sea, with an all-night vigil at the Casa de Iemanjá in Rio Vermelho followed by a dawn procession and fireworks. Devotees offer flowers, perfumes and gifts to the sea, and the event draws roughly 200,000 people, making it a cornerstone of Bahia's Afro-Brazilian religious heritage. (Date shown is estimated from the event's typical annual timing — confirm with the organizer closer to the date.)