brazil has numerous national, state, and municipality holidays or 'feriados' with civil and religious origins that are established by law - the number of holidays vary per year, but usually there are about 10 public holidays annually, excluding state and municipal holidays, and ash wednesday which is a half-day.

it is imortant for visitors to ensure that holidays are respected and the history behind them is understood - this knowledge shows a great appreciation and respect for brazilian culture when interacting with the local population - one should not plan to make a business visit or schedule any appointments during holidays or festivals.

a very quick online search for the holiday in question will provide enough basic information to better understand the local mood - the most internationally famous holidays are carnival, christmas and the new year, but there are many other days that hold a lot of significance in rio de janeiro as well.