Belo Horizonte's Arraial de Belô draws record crowd

The 47th edition of the Arraial de Belô festival in Belo Horizonte attracted a record audience of about 8,000 people on Saturday, the highest attendance in the event’s history. The free‑entry celebration took place at the Mineirinho arena in the Pampulha region, featuring eight elite quadrilha groups in the Special Group competition, with additional performances scheduled for Sunday.

Beyond the dance contests, the festival offered a variety of entertainment, including DJ sets, forró classes, and live shows by Trio Bem Te Quero and the piseiro star Zé Vaqueiro, who closed the event. The city’s public‑transport system provided a special shuttle line and night‑service buses to help attendees return home, and the municipal government allocated more than R$1.4 million in prize money for the participating groups.