The traditional ‘Guararema Cidade Natal’ festival, which takes place annually in the São Paulo Metropolitan Region, has been canceled for 2024. The news, released by the local town hall, has left many Guararemans shocked. After all, the festival is one of the most significant in the city, having attracted more than 650,000 people in 2023.
According to the town hall, the festival will not be able to take place this year due to spending cuts. According to the agency, a high level of investment would be needed to cover everything from operational issues, such as cleaning and security, to entertainment, such as decorations, street lighting and attractions.
The announcement, made just over a month before Christmas, did not please the local population and traders, who point to the economic impact of the cancellation for Guararema. Find out more below:
‘Guararema Christmas City’: cancellation sparked protests in the city
In 2023, Guararema’s “Christmas Town” was a great success. Over 30 days of festivities, the event brought together thousands of people, including locals and tourists, and generated a great deal of activity for the local economy.
The cancellation of the 2024 edition, therefore, received a lot of criticism from Guararema traders. According to them, the city was already preparing for the event, investing in labor and buying stock. What’s more, the announcement came after the Christmas decorations had begun to be erected in the city, taking everyone by surprise.
City Hall says it will transfer funds for health works
According to the local authorities, the money that had previously gone to Guararena Cidade Natal 2024 will be transferred to more priority projects in the city. Among them, the completion of the Santa Casa de Misericórdia, whose works would receive more than R$5 million, and improvements to local schools and gymnasiums.
Check out the town hall’s full statement below, published on its official Instagram profile on October 28: