Debut Feira Preta Festival in Salvador gathers 30,000 people and boosts Black culture, music, fashion and entrepreneurship.
The first edition of Feira Preta Festival Salvador brought together more than 30,000 people over three days of free programming at the Creative District in Salvador’s Historic Center.
With music, talks, fashion shows, gastronomy, audiovisual content, games and children’s activities, the festival celebrated the strength of Bahia’s Black economy and marked a new milestone for Afro-diasporic culture in Brazil.
“Bringing Festival Feira Preta to Salvador was a dream that materialized with great force. Bahia is one of the most powerful centers of the Black diaspora in the world, and seeing this territory alive, pulsing culture, entrepreneurship, technology and affection confirms that this city has always been part of our story and now officially. This edition shows that when the Black economy meets, it moves people, transforms realities and creates futures.”
This is how Adriana Barbosa, founder of Feira Preta, defines the symbolic and transformative moment of holding the festival in Salvador.
Music as central force
On Saturday, a concert by Sued Nunes, nominated for the 2025 Latin Grammy, moved the audience and opened the Palco Axé with power and poetry.
“Singing at Feira Preta has huge meaning for me. It is a festival I have always admired, for valuing our stories and taking care of us in every detail. Stepping on this stage, alongside Josyara, is celebrating the strength of our music and the Black trajectories that brought us here. It is a space that embraces, amplifies and reminds us why we make art,” said Sued.
A special appearance by Rachel Reis in Jau’s show also stood out on Saturday night.
“It is very important, I feel happy to be part of this historic moment. We know how necessary it is to foster the creative economy, support those who hustle and need backing. I am very happy to take part and to have sung with Jau. The crowd’s energy was sky-high,” highlighted Rachel.
On Sunday, the musical line-up reaffirmed the strength of the Bahian Black music scene with performances by Pagode Por Elas, Yan Cloud, Vírus Carinhoso, Ministereo Público, as well as vibrant sets by Samba Orisun and the dance-fuelled Baile Essencial.
Artist O Kannalha turned Praça Maria Felipa into a huge Afro-Bahian street party in one of Sunday night’s final shows.
“We fight racism when we are already here on a stage like Feira Preta’s, singing our music to all these people. When we have the chance to bring Bahian pagode and several other rhythms born from Black culture for the public to dance and have fun, we are already fighting racism,” said O Kannalha.
Entrepreneurship, fashion and food
With more than 130 brands at Mercado da Preta, presented by SEBRAE, and 16 food entrepreneurs at Preta Degusta, the festival boosted different sectors of the local Black economy.
The Preta na Moda fashion shows, held in partnership with the C&A Institute, featured collections by Bahian designers and brands from Fancy Africa, strengthening the contemporary Black fashion ecosystem.
Designer Rei Vilas Boas, founder of the label that bears his name, runs an atelier focused on authorial and sustainable fashion, working with patchwork, layering and Afro-Brazilian spirituality references.
At Feira Preta Festival, he joined the entrepreneurs’ fair, showcasing his pieces, and the fashion show at Doca 1 with the collection Maria Mulambo, inspired by the symbolic power of this entity worshipped in traditions such as Candomblé, directly connected to material reuse and sustainable fashion.
“Taking part in Feira Preta’s entrepreneurs’ fair is very powerful. The structure, aesthetics and care with the space value our work and allow us to present our fashion with dignity. It is beautiful to see people connecting with my brand and to feel this true sense of ‘quilombo’ among us Black entrepreneurs,” said Villas Boas.
Accessory designer Carla Cristina, creator of Atelier Carla Cristina, presented handmade pieces crafted in polymer clay, a light, washable material based on PVC polymers.
Her feminine and masculine accessories are combined with stainless steel components, which prevents allergies and ensures durability.
As an exhibitor at Feira Preta Festival, Carla had previously joined the Feira Preta Cria program in 2024, gaining structure in areas such as finance, social media and management, which accelerated her business growth.
“Being at Feira Preta is the realization of a dream. The CRIA training and the support from Instituto Feira Preta changed my business and gave me structure to grow. For us small entrepreneurs, having a network that welcomes, guides and boosts us makes all the difference, and here I feel exactly that,” explained Carla.
Childhoods, games and audiovisual
The Feira Pretinha area offered Afro-centered play activities, workshops and young entrepreneurs, expanding perspectives on Black childhood.
At Casa das Histórias de Salvador, a curated selection of films and discussion circles highlighted Black narratives in the audiovisual field.
The games space, in partnership with Salve Games, featured titles such as Zumbi dos Palmares and Murukutu: Floresta corpo-território, connecting technology, memory and ancestry.
Light projections, mapping and stand-up comedy sets rounded out the diversity of experiences in the Creative District.
Organization and partners
The Festival Feira Preta Salvador is organized by Instituto Feira Preta and presented by the Ministry of Culture, Nubank and C&A.
Institutional support comes from the federal government, via the Rouanet Law, as well as the state government and the Municipality of Salvador, through the Department of Culture and Tourism (Secult), and from Sebrae.
The festival is also sponsored by NIVEA, Assaí Atacadista, Instituto Assaí and Pinheiro Neto Advogados, with additional support from L’Oréal, the British Consulate, Consulado da Mulher, Socicam – Terminal Turístico Náutico da Bahia (TTNB), Brazil Foundation, MARS and Ambev.
