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diversions
Brazilian fest
to go nuts in downtown
By Alisha Gomez
On-line Forty-Niner
The exotic Brazilian
culture will rock downtown Long Beach again with its sixth
annual Brazilian Street Carnaval Sunday on the promenade between
First Street and Broadway Avenue.
The festival has been appropriately themed this year: Carmen
Miranda in Hollywood.
"We wanted to get Americans involved," David de
Hilster said, director of the Brazilian Street Carnaval. Hilster
said that when thinking of the theme, they wanted the public
to get involved and knew Americans would identify with Carmen
Miranda.
Originally scheduled for Sept. 16, the festival was postponed
because of the terrorist attacks.
"There was just no way we were going to continue the
carnaval after the tragedies because people were in no mood
for a carnaval," Hilster said. "Also, we had people
coming from Rio, flying on planes."
September is significant for Brazilians because it is the
month they gained their independence, Hilster said. He also
stated that in Brazil, the carnaval occurs at the end of summer.
A huge highlight to the festivities is that the King of Carnaval
from Rio de Janeiro will be the grand marshal of the parade,
which will start at 3:30 p.m. The mayor of Long Beach will
present the key to the city to Alex de Oliveira, the current
and reigning King of the Carnaval, as is done in Brazil.
A contest will be held for the best person out of the public
dressed up like Carmen Miranda. The top three winners will
win a ride on the parade float. The contest is at 1 p.m.
"The costumes are part of a tradition," Hilster
said. "One famous costume is the flag bearer." He
said that an elegantly dressed couple will walk the parade.
The woman, wearing a hoop skirt, will carry the flag and perform
a ritualized dance.
Brazilian music can be expected all day long. Musicians include
Renni Flores, a native of Salvador Brazil, also known as Bahia.
Bahia is considered the soul and heartbeat of Brazil and is
inspired by the Bahia's African rhythms.
"All of our musicians are either Brazilian or gringos
[non-Brazilians], who have studied Brazilian music intensively,"
Hilster said.
Plenty of booths will be present at the carnaval.
"The booths will have Brazilian arts, crafts, products
and food," Hilster said. "I have a Brazilian cook,
who also cooks for Hollywood sets that will be cooking in
a booth."
The carnaval is an event people leave from very pleased, Hilster
said.
"It is one of those events people walk away from and
say, 'That was fun,'" Hilster said. Hilster also said
that the event was so crowded last year that they had a hard
time getting the parade started because so many people were
blocking the route.
The Brazilian culture will arrive at Tony's French Dips Restaurant
at 701 Long Beach Blvd in a few weeks, Hilster said.
"We will have Brazilian entertainment, dancing lessons
and Brazilian food, as well as the same menu that was already
there," Hilster said.
The festival begins at noon and the parade is at 3 p.m. The
day will be filled with performing musicians, food, shopping,
and Brazilian drum demonstrations.
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Photos
by Lawrie Margrave
Dancers from San Francisco (above) in the beautiful
outfits do choreography to the music from SambaLá's
musicians and bateria.
SambaLá dancers (left) pass by in front
of the Blue Cafe on the Promenade where patrons found themselves
with an extra treat: A Rio-Style Parade!
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