Portuguese 
Clown Bolinha woke up at 4:30 AM in Água Quente, traveled the 45 kilometers that separate the administrative region from downtown Brasília, and spent Independence Day balancing about thirty kilograms of balloons on his left shoulder.
His given name is Renato Siqueira. He is 53 years old, self-employed, and worked along the edge of this year’s September 7th parade in the Esplanade of the Ministries.
The scene is part of a field report from Agência Brasil, written by Luiz Cláudio Ferreira, with photos by Lula Marques. While the troops marched down the track, he paraded outside, with his stock on his back.
The Makeup Runs with Sweat, and He Continues to Make Jokes
The walk is hurried. The weight rests on one shoulder, and the painted face cannot withstand the heat of Brasília in September.
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“We can’t stop. But we keep making jokes,” he told the reporter.
This phrase sums up the workday. The playfulness is part of the product, so it cannot fade along with the makeup.
Those who sell to children know this. The balloon calls out with its color; however, the sale is closed by the adult beside them, and the adult buys from someone who is smiling.
That is why the blue costume and the orange cap are not mere details. They are part of the mobile showcase he carries on his left shoulder all day.
Cotton Candy at R$ 10, Balloons at R$ 20, and a Logistics Problem
The prices are straightforward. Cotton candy sells for R$ 10 and the metallic balloon for R$ 20, according to Agência Brasil.
The operational detail is that the two products do not travel in the same way. He can carry the cotton candies for over an hour on the bus, but not the balloons.
That is why the manufacturer delivers the batch of balloons only when he is already on the street. Without this arrangement, the business simply does not work.
Notice the fit. The more expensive product is the one that does not fit on the bus, meaning that the more profitable item depends on a scheduled delivery at a specific time and place in the city.
Forty-Five Kilometers from Home to the Sales Point
Renato lives in Água Quente, a peripheral administrative region 45 kilometers from Brasília. He was born in Anápolis, Goiás, and moved to the capital twenty years ago to work.
He studied until the eighth grade.
Água Quente is located at the edge of the Federal District’s grid. Those who leave there early in the morning toward the Esplanade face transfers, waiting times, and a journey that consumes a significant portion of the morning.
For the past eight months, he has set up his stall in front of schools, which is the natural clientele for anyone selling balloons and cotton candy. Events such as the Independence Day parade, Children’s Day, and New Year’s add to the calendar as opportunities for increased income.
He Traded a Minimum Wage for This and Prefers It
In his previous job, he earned a minimum wage selling funeral plans. He decided to instead make jokes for a living, even with the weight on his back and the makeup running.
One can understand the trade-off. A regular job pays less and is more exhausting, but it returns some autonomy over his own day.
Moreover, the income from street vending follows the calendar. While a fixed salary is the same in February and December, the balloon stall doubles in size when the city gathers on the street.
He Was Not the Only Street Vendor Working on the Holiday
The report found three others. All follow the same arithmetic: a formal job during the week and informal sales fitted into the holiday.
Gustavo Ferreira, 30, balanced trays of dulce de leche and chocolate churros, sold for R$ 10, being careful not to spill the filling. In his daily life, he works as a bus fare collector.
“I woke up at 4 a.m., and we’re in the struggle,” he shared.
The Doorman Who Started Selling Coconut Water at the Esplanada
Samuel Santos lives in Planaltina, about forty kilometers away, and works on a shift as a doorman in a building. Therefore, rising early was not new to him.
“I’m trying out selling coconut water here at the Esplanada dos Ministérios. I’m actually just starting. If it goes well, I’ll continue,” he told Agência Brasil.
He went straight from his shift at the front desk to informal trading, with no break in between. According to his account, the priority is to support his two children at home.
There’s no time left to watch the parade that attracted everyone there.
The Cap Seller Who Only Studied Until the Third Grade
Under the sun at the Esplanada, 54-year-old Reinivaldo Garcia, from Brejo da Cruz in Paraíba, was selling caps and hats to the public for R$ 20 each.
His words capture the picture better than any statistic.
“I could only study until the third grade. I couldn’t continue because I had to work. I tell my two children that they need to study always so they don’t end up in the sun like me. They have to be independent, right?”
What the Report Didn’t Measure
None of the sources revealed how much each one made that day. There are no numbers on sales, revenue, or profit margins, making any estimate here mere speculation.
What can be measured is the entry cost: waking up at 4:30 a.m., crossing 45 kilometers via public transport, and carrying 30 kilograms in a hurried walk, all before selling the first item of the day.
The four accounts align on this point. None of them rely solely on street sales, and none regarded the holiday as a day off.
Throughout the morning, as the Esplanada filled up, this trade ran parallel to the official event, without a podium, credential, or coverage, just a few meters from where everything was happening.
I wonder how many of the thousands of people who watched the parade noticed this.
The full coverage, with photos by Lula Marques and all four testimonies in full, is available in the report from Agência Brasil.
And you, do you believe it’s possible to live from informal sales on a holiday without a second job behind it?
