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TOURISM

MAIN EVENTS

São JoãoSão João. "O Maior São João do Mundo". St. John's celebration. The main touristic event of Campina Grande. During the month of June, there are over 300 "quadrilhas" (square dances) on the city's streets. The "Parque do Povo" concentrates over a hundred small huts that sell regional foods and craftsmanship while local artists perform on three stages in different parts of the park.

Winter Festival A traditional event that happens every month of July. Features dance, amateur and professional theatre, pop music and cinema.

Week of Folklore and Craftsmanship: popular art, vioileiros' (popular music and poetry), leather market and vaquejada. August.

Congress of Violeiros: Violeiros from all over the country meet and perform. (Violeiros are poets that create rhyming verses spontaneously, about regional themes. Music background is provided by one or several musicians who play string instruments).

Vaquejada Parque Maria da Luz. Famous traditionalVaquejada (kind of rodeo where two horsemen have to seize a bull with lasso which should fall within a certain target).

MicarandeMicarande. Carnival in Brazil occurs in February or March. Campina Grande has no Carnival tradition during that time of the year because its residents leave for other cities, such as Olinda and Salvador. The Micarande is a three day Carnival that happens during the month of April, usually near Tiradentes holiday (Apr 21).

Encontro para a Nova Consciência. Occurs during Carnival (Feb/Mar), when many leave for the celebration in other cities, mystic, new age organizations, and religious groups meet in Campina Grande and discuss their similarities and differences.

FETEC. "Feira de Tecnologia de Campina Grande". It is an annual business exposition featuring products, inventions, research developed in Campina Grande and in other parts of the Country. Occurs during the month of September.

ART AND CULTURE

Feira Central The central market. Attractions: craftsmanship (ceramic, clay, wood, straw, leather, tapestry); typical local foods; poetry (Poesia de Cordel); ocasional spontaneous cultural presentations (violeiros, emboladores).

Museu de Arte Assis Chateaubriand. Art Museum. Permanent and temporary expositions. Tel. (083) 341-3300.

Museu de História e Tecnologia do Algodão. Museum of Cotton, at the National Center for Cotton Research: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa do Algodão (CNPA-EMBRAPA). Tel. (083) 321-3608.

Museu Histórico e Geográfico. Museum of History and Geography of Campina Grande. Photos, maps, furniture, weapons, vehicles, jewelry.

Theatres: Teatro Severino Cabral (Municipal theatre), Teatro Paulo Pontes, Teatro Elba Ramalho; Movie Theatres: Cine Babilônia, Cine Capitólio.

Centro Cultural. Culture center. Offers several periodic courses: plastic arts, music, theatre. Museu Vivo da Ciência e Tecnologia. Science Museum. Offers several periodic courses and workshops.

TOURS

Pedra de IngáPasseio Forroviário. During the month of june, this train takes tourists to the city of Ingá (35 km). The tourists dance forró during the train ride and visit the Itacoatiaras (pre-historic site) in Ingá. The site is open all year.

Boqueirão. 50 km Southwest. Attractions: artificial lake, fishing, boat rides, swimming.

Lagoa Seca. 10 km North. Attractions: Museu do Índio (Native Indian Museum), Craftsmanship shopping (leather and hurds).

Areia. 46 km North. City of cool climate in a region of forests. Attractions: historic constructions, house of Pedro Américo (brazilian artist), the first theatre of Paraíba (Teatro Minerva - 1859), museums and churches (Igreja do Rosário dos Pretos - 1866), hiking and trekking.

Mountain Biking Tours. The Clube Ciclístico de Campina Grande periodically organize biking tours in the country (forest regions and plains) in Campina Grande Area and nearby towns like Areia, Boqueirão, Bananeiras and Ingá.

Fishing. Fazenda Maria da Luz. 10 km East. Private property with artificial lakes.

HOTELS

This list may be incomplete. It lists only hotels included in "Guia Brasil 95" (Quatro Rodas). In case you look for a hotel not listed here, please contact City Hall's Department of Tourism (Departamento de Turismo) at (083)341-3993 or 341-2553. (Plus signs indicate hotel classification in "Guia Quatro Rodas", not Embratur's "star" classification.)

  • Hotel Serrano (+++) tel.: (083) 341-3131; fax: (083) 321-0635
  • Hotel Ouro Branco (++) tel.: (083) 341-2929; fax: (083) 322-5788
  • Majestic Hotel (++) tel.: (083) 341-1881; fax: (083) 321-6748
  • Hotel do Vale (++) tel.: (083) 341-3111; fax: (083) 321-2127
  • Hotel Souto Maior (++) tel.: (083) 321-2154
  • Hotel Marajó (+) tel.: (083) 341-2700
  • Hotel Belfran (+) tel.: (083) 341-1312
  • Hotel Mahatma Gandhi (+) tel.: (083) 321-5275

Hotels in the countryside near hills and lakes (nearby towns):

  • Hotel Lago Dourado, city of Boqueirão (47 km Southwest). Situated in a pleasant location near the lake of Boqueirão. Services: fishing, sailing, swimming, kaiak and motor boat rent. Tel.: (083) 391-1368 (Boqueirão), (083) 226-1686 (João Pessoa) or (081) 361-2658 (Recife) tels.()
     
  • Fazenda Bruxaxá, city of Areia (46 km North). Situated on the hills of the forested and cool region of the "Brejo Paraibano". Offers swimming, playgrounds and multisports courts and a panoramic view. Tel. (083) 362-2423 (Areia) or 224-4403 (João Pessoa).

During cultural or business events, it may be difficult to find vacant hotel rooms. Reservations should be made in advance. During the month of June, there are extra campings and alternative accommodation facilities in Campina Grande and nearby cities like Lagoa Seca.

RESTAURANTS

This list is not complete. For up to date information, contact City Hall's Department of Tourism (Departamento de Turismo) at (083)341-3993 or 341-2553. Only restaurants present in Guia Quatro Rodas are listed here.

  • La Costa. Varied cooking.
  • A Cabana do Possidônio. Varied cooking.
  • Miura. Varied cooking.
  • Manoel da Carne de Sol. Regional cooking. Steak house.
  • Turístico. Steak house.
  • La Nostra Casa. Pizza.
  • Recanto do Picuí. Regional cooking. Steak house.
  • Tábua de Carne. Regional cooking. Steak house.
  • Bananal. Regional cooking.

CONCERT AND SPORTS CLUBS

  • Spazio. Most of the shows, rock and forró concerts happen here. Tel. (083) 321-2121.
  • Vila Forró. Situated in a farm region near Lagoa Seca. Traditional place for regional shows, specially forró (regional style of dance and music). Tel. (083) 322-2040.
  • Vale do Jatobá. Another place like Vila Forró. Tel. (083) 341-3111.
  • Clube Campestre. Social club with swimming pools, tennis courts, multisports courts, soccer fields, gimnasium and party halls.
  • Campinense Clube. Another social and sports club like the Campestre.
  • Clube dos Caçadores. Another social and sports club.

BARS AND DANCE CLUBS

This list is not complete. It lists most popular bars and dance clubs in december 1996. For up to date information, contact City Hall's Department of Tourism (Departamento de Turismo) at (083)341-3993 or 341-2553.

  • Beco da Pororoca. Several bars with live music and dance in a small Art-Deco style alley. Occasionally street concerts are also held there.
  • Parque Açude Novo. Several bars with live music and dance, restaurants and bowling club near Açude Novo Park. The most traditional ones are: Big Mix, Batata Bizz, Saloon.
  • WillyHaus: German style beer house. Avenida Manoel Tavares.
  • Chopp do Alemão: Another german style beer house. Downtown.
  • Rua Treze de Maio. Another place crowded with restaurants and bars.
  • Vogue. Dance club.

Photos: São João and Micarande - Tadeu Lubambo
Pedra de Ingá - Octavio Uchôa de Moura Neto.

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