Maré Food Festival recognized as best culinary event in Latin America

The Maré Food Festival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, has been named Latin America’s best culinary event for 2026. The festival, which features 16 local restaurants, aims to showcase the diverse culinary offerings of the Maré favela.

Organizers, including Mariana Aleixo of the community development NGO Redes de Maré, state that the event is designed to challenge prevailing stereotypes of the neighborhood as a center of crime and violence. By highlighting local entrepreneurship and community connection through food, residents hope to shift the external narrative surrounding the area.