Crixás, Brazil: Where Gold Rush Dreams Go to Die (But the Pequi Lives On)
Welcome to Crixás, a municipality in northwestern Goiás state, Brazil, with a population of 17,044 (2020) sprawled across 4,661.5 km² of Brazilian countryside that time apparently forgot. This is a town that once struck gold — literally — and now strikes out at pretty much everything else. But hey, at least they throw one hell of a fruit festival.
The Rise and Fall of Brazil's Bronze Medalist
According to mining statistics, Crixás is one of South America's largest gold-producing municipalities, which sounds impressive until you realize that's like being the tallest person in a room full of toddlers. Founded by bandeirante Manoel Rodrigues Thomaz after gold discoveries in 18th-century Brazil, the settlement grew around Bartolomeu Bueno da Silva's explorations around 1726.
The municipality still operates the Serra Grande Gold Mine, partly owned by AngloGold Ashanti, the world's third-largest gold mining company, and Kinross Gold Corporation. So yes, there's still gold in them thar hills — it's just that most of the profits apparently leave faster than the town's young people.
Once a major gold-producing area, Crixás is now gradually losing population, proving that even literal buried treasure can't keep people interested in staying. The town has perfected the art of almost making it big, going from Arraial de Crixás in 1740 to Vila de Crixás in 1935, finally achieving full city status in 1953 — a century-long journey to municipal mediocrity.
The Pequi Obsession: Brazil's Most Stubborn Festival
Enter the star of our show: the pequi fruit and its devoted annual celebration. The 17th Festival Cultural and Gastronômico do Pequi runs from October 29 to November 1st at the Feira Coberta de Crixás, offering free admission to celebrate this thorny regional fruit. That's right — they're on their 17th year of throwing a massive party for what's essentially a spiky, bitter tree nut that requires a PhD in Cerrado cuisine to make edible.
Crixás is known for cultivating Cerrado fruits, particularly pequi and cashew, found abundantly in the municipality. The festival has grown into such a regional attraction that a telenovela scene was filmed during the 2025 festival featuring Maiara & Maraisa, giving the municipality national projection while celebrating 291 years of history and 72 years of political emancipation. Finally, Crixás gets its 15 minutes of fame — thanks to a fruit that most Brazilians need instructions to eat properly.
The festival lineup reads like a "Who's Who" of sertanejo music, proving that "each year the festival grows with a larger audience and more outsiders, helping to promote the celebration even more" according to local officials. Nothing says "we've made it" like people traveling hundreds of kilometers to eat questionably prepared tree fruit and listen to country music.
Life on the Estrada do Boi (Highway to Nowhere Special)
Crixás sits on the famous "Estrada do Boi" (Cattle Road), part of one of the world's largest cattle concentration regions and Brazil's richest cattle fattening hub. The town proudly markets itself as being on this legendary route, though let's be honest — it's basically a fancy name for the path cows take to more interesting places.
Located 334 kilometers from the state capital Goiânia, Crixás offers all the convenience of rural isolation with none of the rustic charm. The economy runs on mineral mining and milk production, supplemented by crops including rice (350 hectares), bananas (75 hectares), corn (500 hectares), and soybeans (500 hectares). It's agricultural diversity at its most... adequate.
The town does boast some educational credentials, with a campus of Universidade Estadual de Goiás offering courses in Pedagogy, Letters, Geography, History, and Mathematics. Because nothing says "stay in our declining gold town" quite like a degree in Geography to help you navigate your way out.
The Great Exodus (Even the Cattle Are Planning Escapes)
Perhaps most tellingly, Crixás is gradually losing population despite sitting on gold mines and hosting Brazil's most determined fruit festival. The numbers tell the story: the 2010 population was estimated at 15,760, climbing to 17,044 by 2020 — a growth rate so modest it makes glacial movement look speedy.
The town has spawned several offspring municipalities over the years, as Nova Crixás, Mundo Novo, and Uirapuru were all emancipated from Crixás in the 1980s and 1990s. Even parts of the original town couldn't wait to break free and start fresh somewhere else.
But hey, don't let our gentle ribbing fool you — Crixás has character, history, and enough pequi to choke a horse (though please don't try that; the spikes are serious business). Sometimes the best travel experiences come from places that don't try too hard to impress. And if you're looking for authentic Brazilian small-town life with a side of questionable fruit obsession, Crixás delivers in spades.
Think our roast was too gentle? Check out the full brutal assessment and roast cards at RoastMyTown.com, where small towns get the reality check they never asked for but probably needed.