The Festa do Peão de Barretos stands as Brazil's premier annual festival for sertanejo music, drawing the nation's biggest recording stars while launching new artists into stardom. Over its history, the rodeo venue has hosted international concert tours alongside unforgettable domestic performances ranging from onstage barbecues to emotional group reunions.
Located in the city of Barretos in interior São Paulo state, the event takes place at the Parque do Peão complex. International performers including Garth Brooks, Mariah Carey, and Alan Jackson have headlined the arena, underlining the festival's role as the central showcase for sertanejo, Brazil's dominant commercial country music genre.
Tributes and candlelit arenas
One of the most poignant moments in the festival's history occurred in 1998 during a performance by the sertanejo supergroup Amigos. The concert took place two months after the death of singer Leandro, who passed away from cancer. Leandro had performed for years alongside his brother Leonardo in one of Brazil's most successful country duos.
An estimated 55,000 spectators gathered at the rodeo venue for the tribute show. As the performance began, audience members received candles, which they lit throughout the arena while the artists sang Ave Maria. The singers dedicated the song Viola Enluarada to their deceased colleague. Speaking during the show, Leonardo said that performing Amigos without his brother was very difficult.
Record turnouts and rapid rises
In 2010, sertanejo singer Luan Santana made festival history after being selected as the event's official ambassador. Santana performed before a crowd of approximately 60,000 people, setting an all-time attendance record for the Festa do Peão de Barretos. His setlist featured prominent hits from that era, including Meteoro, Tô de Cara, Minha Boca Você não Beija Mais, Sinais, and Digitais.
The artist later detailed his rapid rise during a 2021 interview on the Flow podcast. Santana revealed that his history with the rodeo began in 2009, when he performed on the venue's secondary alternative stage without receiving any pay. Just one year after that unpaid appearance, festival organizers invited him back to represent the entire event on the main stage.
Charity concerts and global stars
American country music icon Garth Brooks returned to Brazilian stages in 2015 for a special appearance at the rodeo, 17 years after his previous performance at the festival in 1999. During the concert, Brooks invited several prominent Brazilian performers to join him on stage, including the duos Fernando & Sorocaba and Chitãozinho & Xororó, singer Paula Fernandes, and television presenter Xuxa Meneghel.
Brooks personally covered all travel expenses for himself and his band to make the journey to Brazil. In addition, the singer directed that the entire box office proceeds from the night be donated directly to the Hospital do Câncer de Barretos, a major philanthropic cancer treatment facility based in the host city.
Sunrise barbecues and extended sets
Sertanejo star Gusttavo Lima delivered another memorable chapter in 2017 when he served as the festival's official ambassador, a title he subsequently adopted as his primary stage nickname. Lima promised audience members a four-hour marathon concert and fulfilled the commitment. His performance featured early career singles such as 60 segundos, Inventor dos Amores, and Cabelo Cor de Ouro, alongside popular hits of the time including Homem de Família, Fui fiel, Jejum de amor, and Vidinha de balada.
At 6:00 a.m., as the sun began to rise over the arena, Lima brought a barbecue grill directly onto the stage and served cooked meat to fans standing near the front of the stage. During the sunrise segment, the singer transitioned to traditional roots sertanejo, known as modão, performing classics such as Telefone Mudo by Trio Parada Dura and Evidências by Chitãozinho & Xororó.
Historic reunions and music videos
The festival celebrated another landmark event in 2019 when the group Amigos reunited at Parque do Peão, 21 years after their previous joint show at the venue. The collective brought together three legendary sertanejo duos: Zezé Di Camargo & Luciano, Chitãozinho & Xororó, and Leonardo. Speaking during the performance, Zezé Di Camargo said that despite having taken that stage in past years, the artists trembled every time they stepped onto it.
During their 2019 return show, the members of Amigos also filmed the official music video for their song Única, which was composed by Xororó alongside songwriters Tonny and Kleber. The performance concluded another historic chapter for the Barretos rodeo arena.
