Belo Horizonte Brazil Brings Festival Laços Alive with Music Magic and Carnival Energy

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Belo Horizonte is ready for a big weekend of music, colour and shared memories. Festival Laços 2026 will bring free shows, theatre, circus, children’s activities and Brazilian sounds to Praça da Liberdade on 5 and 6 September. The event celebrates 120 years of Drogaria Araujo, a well-known company from Minas Gerais. Yet it is more than an anniversary event. It turns one of the city’s best-known public spaces into a meeting place for people of all ages. Visitors can enjoy a full programme without buying a ticket. The festival invites families, friends, tourists and local people to spend time together in the heart of Belo Horizonte.

A Free Festival with a Big City Message

Festival Laços uses the idea of “laços”, or bonds, to tell its story. It looks at the ties that link children with grandparents, neighbours with neighbours, and the city with its people. The programme moves from childhood stories to carnival music. It mixes old memories with new voices.

The event comes to Belo Horizonte after earlier stops in Betim and Juiz de Fora. Praça da Liberdade will host the final stop. This gives the closing weekend special value. The square has long been a place for public life, culture and city history. Festival Laços will add live performance, play and music to this important setting.

The official programme calls the event accessible. It will also have a children’s space, a pet-friendly area and a food court. These features make the festival easy to enjoy for families planning a long day in the city centre.

Saturday Opens with Stories Circus and Big Music

The first day runs from 10:00 until 20:00 on Saturday, 5 September. The programme begins with O Quintal da Guegué, a children’s storytelling show. It uses music, games and imagination to explore family stories passed from one generation to the next.

At 11:00, Projeto Conexão Galpão brings Um Tal Bruxo do Cosme Velho to the festival. The children’s theatre work takes inspiration from the writing of Machado de Assis. It also brings music and clowning into the story. This makes a famous name from Brazilian literature feel close and fun for young viewers.

Circus takes the stage at 12:30. Circolar presents Cidade Feita de Gente, a show that uses acrobatics, aerial work, contortion and stilts. The performance sees Belo Horizonte as a living character. It highlights the daily movement, work, care and culture that shape city life.

The afternoon then moves into music. Samba singer Giselle Couto performs at 13:30. Her set celebrates the warmth of the samba circle, where music helps bring people together. At 15:30, Belo Horizonte band Daparte represents a younger sound from the city. The group gives the festival a strong local connection.

Black Bones Brass Band follows at 17:30. The fanfare group brings the spirit of rock to brass instruments. Pato Fu then closes the Saturday programme at 18:30. The celebrated band marks 30 years of its album Gol de Quem?. Its performance is likely to draw fans from many age groups and become one of the weekend’s biggest moments.

Sunday Turns the Square into a Family Celebration

Sunday starts early, at 09:15, and runs until 14:00. The second day focuses on care, community and family time. O Quintal da Guegué returns with another storytelling session. At 10:15, children’s music group Pé de Sonho performs songs for children, parents and grandparents.

At 11:15, HAHAHA brings a circus parade to the square. Clowns and musicians will move through the public space with humour, music and audience interaction. The performance does not stay on one stage. It uses the square itself as part of the show.

Singer Renata Araújo performs at 11:45. Her show blends music, poetry, dance and theatre. She will revisit much-loved Brazilian popular music, creating a moment built around shared memories.

The final act begins at 13:15. Bloco da Esquina will close Festival Laços with a carnival-style performance inspired by the Clube da Esquina musical legacy. The show joins the sound of Minas Gerais with the open energy of Belo Horizonte’s street carnival. It gives the event a bright and fitting ending.

Why Festival Laços Matters for Belo Horizonte

Festival Laços offers a simple but strong idea. Culture can bring people together in an open public space. The programme does not focus on one type of visitor. It includes children, music fans, theatre lovers, families, pet owners and tourists looking for a real city experience.

The event also shines a light on local creative life. Daparte, Giselle Couto, Black Bones Brass Band and Bloco da Esquina all connect the programme to the sound and spirit of Minas Gerais. At the same time, Pato Fu brings national recognition and a deep link to Belo Horizonte’s music history.

For visitors, the festival gives a useful reason to explore Praça da Liberdade and its cultural surroundings. For residents, it offers a free weekend event with a wide range of activities. Festival Laços will not only celebrate 120 years of Drogaria Araujo. It will celebrate the people, stories and shared moments that give Belo Horizonte its living soul.