On January 1, 2025, many cities across Brazil will observe closures and alterations to regular business hours due to the New Year's Day holiday, a federal public holiday. While many may wish to visit local supermarkets or cultural venues after the New Year celebrations, it’s important to be aware of what services are operating and which are closed.
Beginning with Belo Horizonte, various public facilities and businesses will have specific openings and closures. The Zoobotânica, which includes the Zoo and Botanical Garden, will not be open. Meanwhile, the municipal parks will host several locations such as Parque da Vila Santa Sofia and Parque do Bairro Havaí operating as usual. Conversely, popular sites like the Parque Municipal Fazenda Lagoa do Nado will be closed. Various parks, including Parque Jacques Cousteau and Parque Ecológico Vencesli Firmino da Silva, will welcome visitors from 8 AM.
Regarding cemeteries, the Cemitérios da Paz, da Saudade, and others will be available from 7 AM to 5 PM for funerals only. Social assistance centers will not function on this day, and assistance for the homeless will continue through the Popular Restaurants, which will offer meals to those in need. The banco de alimentos located on Rua Tuiuti will remain closed on New Year's Day.
The shopping centers and supermarkets have strictly defined operating hours. According to the Associação Mineira de Supermercados (AMIS), all supermarkets in Belo Horizonte will close on January 1 due to the broad agreement made with local workers' unions. Meanwhile, shopping complexes like BH Shopping and DiamondMall will follow holiday hours, operating only their entertainment sections.
Moving over to Campinas, it becomes clear the situation remains similar. The local commerce, particularly the downtown area, will shut its doors completely on January 1st, and supermarket entries will remain locked as mandated by collective agreements. This affects major shopping centers like the Campinas Shopping and Shopping Iguatemi, where food courts might operate on facultative hours.
Shifting gears to Salvador, the atmosphere shows much of the same. Shops will close, mirroring operations from other cities. For example, the Praça de Alimentação at Shopping Barra may open from 12 PM to 9 PM, but stores will remain shut, representing the common trends for New Year closures across Brazilian commerce. The public transit services and health services such as UPAS will function normally, offering 24-hour coverage for emergencies.
With respect to public facilities like banks and service counters, they will also freeze operations during the holiday. There will be no public bank services available, and public agencies such as PROCON and social assistance centers will remain closed until the next business day on January 2.
This comprehensive holiday closure highlights the cultural importance of New Year celebrations across Brazil, emphasizing the necessity for residents to plan accordingly and adapt to the limited availability of services. It’s always beneficial to double-check operational hours via respective websites or local news platforms for last-minute updates.
Overall, each city presents specific adaptations to the New Year’s holiday, creating both challenges and opportunities for local residents and tourists alike. Some parks may serve as ideal choices for those venturing out to enjoy the day, but many typical conveniences will be absent, calling for careful planning.
For those who might be unaware, January 1st marks the beginning of the New Year and serves as a reminder to many about the year ahead and the resolutions they hope to pursue. It also signifies the end of the holiday rush for businesses, leading to closures as staff recover from celebrations. Visitors are advised to enjoy nature or engage with holiday festivities remaining at the few open establishments.