Ouro Prêto likes its celebrations. Parades, fireworks, music and dance are frequent as residents and visitors throng the streets. Carnaval, as in other places in Brazil, is a major event, as are the Easter celebrations for Semana Santa.
The Congado celebrations at New Years revolve around the history of the slaves brought from the Congo, Angola and Mozambique to toil in the gold, silver and diamond mines. One of them, Chico-Rei, or little king, was either a noble in his own land, or by his efforts in the new land, worked hard and bought his own mine, becoming wealthy and an example to other enslaved workers.