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In celebration of the Catholic dates honoring three saints, the June Bonfire Festivals are a folkloric tradition, right down to the period country-style costumes of the folk dancers in period costumes – although, like Rio Carnival, everyone enjoys dressing up. Couples also dress in mock wedding attire leaping over the flames of the bonfires.

On three separate evenings private homes and public venues through Rio center the June Bonfire Festivals on bonfires with performances of square dancing to the accordion and the enticing beat of traditional folk music.  The streets and squares are filled with stalls resembling village marketplaces with vendors serving food and drink, including the quentão, the local hot spiced wine.

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Thousands of WED activities are organized throughout the world, but each year beginning in 1973, the worldwide event travels to another country with a new theme in efforts to stimulate environmental awareness and action in different areas of the world. Past country hosts (in no particular order) have included Mexico, Sweden, India, China, Belgium, Thailand, Spain and Australia. In addition to WED, the city also hosts a simultaneous week-long international exposition.

Similar to Earth Day, World Environment Day impacts nations worldwide by uniting them to a cause the same day each year. The worldwide, UN-sanctioned  event is anticipated to draw record crowds when major political figures and local communities united with pledges and commitments to care for Mother Earth.

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