Salvador experiences, once again, the intensity of the popular festivals that mark the Bahian summer with the Iemanjá Festivalofficially celebrated this Monday (2). Traditionally, tributes take place on Rio Vermelho beach and in the streets of the neighborhood.
Devotees usually prepare offerings, especially flowers and perfumes, to throw into the sea. In recent years, campaigns have reinforced the importance of not using polluting objects, respecting the environment.
Started in the 1920s, the festival turns 104 years old in 2026 and is recognized as Intangible Cultural Heritage of Salvador, a title granted by the Gregório de Mattos Foundation (FGM) in 2020. The date pays homage to the deity of salt waters and Queen of the Sea for the people of Santo, a symbol of fertility, protection and abundance.
In the official schedule, the ritual begins the day before, on Sunday (1st), with the traditional delivery of Oxum’s gift, at Dique do Tororó. This opens the celebrations in honor of the water orixás and symbolizes the connection between rivers, lagoons and the sea — the central foundation of African-based religions.
On Monday (2), the day dedicated to Iemanjá, the main gift arrives at Rio Vermelho at dawn, around 5 am, accompanied by the traditional dawn of fireworks, at Praia de Santana, where the headquarters of the Fisherman’s Colony is located, next to the Casa de Iemanjá.
The basket remains in place until 4pm, during which time believers and visitors can place their offerings. Then, the maritime procession begins, which continues to a point approximately three nautical miles from the coast, where the gift is delivered to the sea.
The expectation is that more than a million people will travel through the region throughout the weekend and the official day of the celebration. According to an estimate from Salvador City Hall, up to 40% of the public is made up of tourists, coming from other cities in Bahia, other states and abroad.
From Sunday until late afternoon on Monday, fishermen are responsible for organizing the Casa de Iemanjá and the Barracão, in addition to guiding the public and ensuring the safe delivery of offerings. The schedule is defined by the Z1 Fisherman’s Colony, which also conducts the main rituals. In 2026, the chosen theme is “Yemanjá: the Mother who Enlightens us all!”, reinforcing the spiritual and symbolic character of the celebration.
The origins of the festival date back to the period of the transatlantic slave trade. In , the tradition was consolidated when fishermen from the Red River began offering gifts to the deity in search of abundance in fishing and protection at sea, after a period of fish scarcity. Over time, the celebration gained a popular, religious and cultural dimension, expanding to other Brazilian cities, such as Rio de Janeiro, and becoming one of the main events on the Bahian calendar.
In addition to religious rituals, the Festa de Iemanjá moves the city with an intense cultural agenda. Shows, washes, private parties and musical gatherings take over Rio Vermelho and neighboring neighborhoods.
