Catalão began to be occupied around 1722 or 1723 when one of the bandeirantes, Bartolomeu Bueno da Silva planted crops for his supply.

The settlement began around 1728, with the construction of a few huts to support the troops who were penetrating this region.
 Near Catalão, one of the chaplains of the force, Frei Antônio, a native of Catalonia and called "o Catalão" decided to start a rest point near a small stream.

By 1828, the settlement had five houses with tile roofs and twenty grass covered huts.

In  1859, Catalão became a legally constituted city.
Today the municipality has an area of 3,789 km²,.
corresponding to 1.1% of the state territory
The story of the , Catalão's popular festival began in 1820, when semi-free slaves arrived in the Vila of Catalão to work in the coffee plantations.
 The slaves brought with them their customs, one of which was the cult of Our Lady of the Rosary.
 Her commemoration included a mixture of Afro and Catholic rites.
 Now these dances, with strong influences from the Congo and Moçambique, are celebrated in Catalão in the largest festival of Congadas in Brazil.

The festival takes place on the last Friday of September and lasts until the second Sunday of October, when the dancers go  to the streets in their colorful costumes, filling the city streets with their songs, which give thanks to their patroness for the blessings given.
Catalão began to be occupied around 1722 or 1723 when one of the bandeirantes, Bartolomeu Bueno da Silva planted crops for his supply.
The settlement began around 1728, with the construction of a few huts to support the troops who were penetrating this region.  Near Catalão, one of the chaplains of the force, Frei Antônio, a native of Catalonia and called "o Catalão" decided to start a rest point near a small stream.
By 1828, the settlement had five houses with tile roofs and twenty grass covered huts.
In  1859, Catalão became a legally constituted city. Today the municipality has an area of 3,789 km²,. corresponding to 1.1% of the state territory
The story of the , Catalão's popular festival began in 1820, when semi-free slaves arrived in the Vila of Catalão to work in the coffee plantations.  The slaves brought with them their customs, one of which was the cult of Our Lady of the Rosary.  Her commemoration included a mixture of Afro and Catholic rites.  Now these dances, with strong influences from the Congo and Moçambique, are celebrated in Catalão in the largest festival of Congadas in Brazil.
The festival takes place on the last Friday of September and lasts until the second Sunday of October, when the dancers go  to the streets in their colorful costumes, filling the city streets with their songs, which give thanks to their patroness for the blessings given.
Catalão