March 3, 2018, Saturday - Carnaval Brasileiro at Cedar Cultural Center

Via a February 7 Press Release:

Brazilfest MN's Carnaval Brasileiro celebrates its 16th anniversary with an intimate Masquerade Ball on Saturday, March 3rd!

The most attended and longest-running annual Brazilian festival in the Twin Cities teams up with the Cedar Cultural Center for the 16th annual Carnaval Brasileiro on Saturday, March 3rd, at one of the premier live music venues in Minneapolis, internationally respected for top quality world music events. The site brings the focus back to the sound quality of a smaller venue, with hopes for a more enjoyable sonic experience for longtime attendees and newcomers alike. Carnaval will be an all-ages show and will start and end a bit earlier than previous years.

Over 60 singers, musicians, samba dancers, actors and artisans will transform the Cedar Cultural Center into an authentically festive Brazilian cultural experience!

Guitarist/vocalist Robert Everest and his ten-piece group Beira Mar Brasil will host the Carnaval Brasileiro Masquerade Ball from 7pm to 12 midnight. Everest, who also serves as Executive Director, has been joyfully exploring Brazilian music and culture for over 25 years and brings us authentic Brazilian carnival flavor through various musical genres from around the country – Samba, Axé, Frevo, Baião, and other dance-inducing styles. Joining Beira Mar Brasil for the twelfth straight year, direct from Salvador da Bahia, Brazil’s famous party-loving city, will be singer and samba dancer extraordinaire, Dandara Odara, who performs at over 50 carnival celebrations around the world each year in Europe, North America, and of course, Brazil. 

Along with Beira Mar Brasil, Carnaval Brasileiro 2018 will present more performers and performance groups than ever before, including Brazilian percussion ensembles Batucada Do Norte and Drumheart, professional samba dancers/instructors Ginga da Bahia, Leonardo Paixão, Edilson Lima (who has been featured on Ellen DeGeneres) and Vanessa Luiz from São Paulo, Brazil, as well as Brazilian martial arts group Capoeira Floração of Minnesota. 

Carnaval guests can participate in Brazilian dance lessons, purchase authentic carnival masks created by master Brazilian artisan Goretti Aamot, and have their face and body painted just like they do it in Rio! 

The annual Carnaval, celebrated throughout Brazil, lasts nearly a week and has roots dating back to the 1700s. Like Mardi Gras, Carnaval is an all-out party with music, masks, dancing, food and drink – a final blowout before Lenten traditions kick in for the Easter season. This Minneapolis edition of Carnaval takes place after it is celebrated in Brazil, allowing for many of the special guests to come to Minneapolis.

TICKETS:  $22 in advance, $30 at the door. Available now at the Electric Fetus, Depth of Field, and thecedar.org.