Festa

Festa is a term used in several Romance languages to denote a celebration or feast. In Italian, festa refers to a festival, holiday, or religious celebration; in Portuguese, it most often means a party or communal celebration. The word derives from Latin festa and is used in other contexts as a general term for a festive occasion.

In Italy and Portuguese-speaking regions, festas are embedded in social and religious life. Italian festas can be public holidays or religious processions; Portuguese and Brazilian festas include family or community gatherings with food, music, and dancing. Brazil, in particular, has numerous festive traditions such as festa junina, a mid-year celebration with folk dances, costumes, fireworks, and traditional foods. Religious feasts and patronal celebrations are common in both Portugal and Brazil, often featuring parades, markets, and communal meals.

Festa is also used as a surname of Italian origin and appears in place names and cultural titles. The plural forms are feste in Italian and festas in Portuguese and Brazilian Portuguese. The term is widely recognized beyond language boundaries, frequently appearing in references to local or regional celebrations, festivals, and events in various countries.