Taparuba brings together local history, agricultural themes and a range of reasons to visit. The Capela de São José reflects the town’s origins; the weekly market, milk and coffee competitions, and events celebrating local cuisine reveal other sides of the town. One timing difference is important when planning: the Feira Livre Municipal takes place every Wednesday, while the milk and coffee competitions and festivities were held on specific dates in the past. Check the current market day and event dates if you want to plan your trip around them.
Local History and the Weekly Market
The Capela de São José was built in 1881 to strengthen the settlement and make religious services more accessible to residents. The building thus represents both religious life and the development of the settlement at the time. Anyone seeking to understand Taparuba’s history can start with this connection between religious services and the town’s development.
The Feira Livre Municipal takes place every Wednesday at Praça Gerciel Gomes da Silva. The same square also hosted an edition of the Feira Gastronômica Sabores de Taparuba. It took place on a Friday, August 7, and featured local cuisine, musical performances and participation by local business owners. The weekly market and a one-off gastronomic event are therefore held in the same place, but at different times.
Agriculture, Milk and Coffee
The XIII Concurso Leiteiro de Taparuba was held from July 31 to August 3, 2025, as a traditional four-day competition at the Parque de Exposições, attracting farmers, technicians and visitors. A total of 73 cows and heifers were entered in four categories in that edition, and 7,560 kg of milk were collected overall. The competition can therefore be viewed in terms of both its different categories and the reported total quantity.
The tradition of artisanal cachaça is also part of Taparuba’s agricultural landscape. In 2025, the producers’ association had 14 members, and estimated production was 2 million liters of artisanal cachaça. These figures refer to 2025 and may change over time.
Another agricultural highlight was the ExpocafĂ© – Feira de Cafeicultores de Taparuba. One edition took place on September 11 and 12 at the Parque de Exposições de Taparuba and brought together producers of coffee, milk, bananas and cocoa. As part of the program, the 2Âş Concurso de CafĂ© Conilon do MunicĂpio highlighted the high quality of coffee produced in Taparuba. In contrast, the Concurso Leiteiro focused on milk, while ExpocafĂ© brought together several agricultural products.
Another Stop: Mata dos Macacos
Mata dos Macacos is a roadside stop where tourists pull over to feed and observe the resident capuchin monkeys up close. If you plan to stop here, check the animal welfare conditions on site. Unlike the market and competitions, the focus here is on observing the animals.
Discover more destinations: UnaĂ, Conselheiro Lafaiete, Lavras Novas, IgarapĂ©, Frutal, Carrancas, Serro, GrĂŁo Mogol
For the broader travel overview: Minas Gerais.
