groups of dancers representing communities within the city don bright costumes and perform traditional dances in different public locations throughout the months of june and july, with the official tournament taking place from july 25th through july 29th in plaza zumbi dos palmares.

the event encontro de quadrilhas, brings together 14 community groups from different areas for a colorful display of traditional dancing, over the course of six weeks, with the goals of strengthening popular culture, keeping alive the love of traditional barn dances, and brightening the community with healthy living, and pleasurable competition.

the preparation for the event is vast, and begins at the start of the year, when organizers start fundraising campaigns for the costumes and props, which are needed for the dances - though the dances stop, in the city streets, mid-way through july, they continue at local schools, fairs and resort up until september.