Media Contact: Robert Everest

MINNEAPOLIS, Dec. 22, 2015 -- The most attended and longest-running annual Brazilian festival in the Twin Cities returns to International Market Square for the 14th annual Carnaval Brasileiro on Saturday, February 13 at International Market Square. For the second year, Carnaval will have three performance stages, FREE on-site parking, and a spacious venue with capacity for thousands. The newly branded BrazilFest MN brings you "Carnaval Brasileiro 2016" (Brazilian Carnival) in a Masquerade Ball, proceeded by our all-ages celebration - Brazilfest Family Matinee. Over 60 singers, drummers, samba dancers, and artisans will transform International Market Square into an authentically festive Brazilian cultural experience!

Guitarist/vocalist Robert Everest and his ten-piece group Beira Mar Brasil will host the two events comprising Carnaval Brasileiro 2016: the BrazilFest Family Matinee in the afternoon and the Carnaval Brasileiro Masquerade Ball in the evening. 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 tenth 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.

Other performers will include Brazilian percussion ensembles Batucada Do Norte and Drumheart, professional samba dancers Edilson Lima (who has been featured on Ellen DeGeneres), Vanessa Luiz, and Mariana Urraburu from São Paulo and Brazilian martial arts group Omulu Capoeira of Minnesota.

Carnaval guests can purchase Brazilian drinks and food by D'Amico Catering, participate in Brazilian dance lessons, and purchase authentic carnival masks created by master Brazilian artisan Goretti Aamot or have their face and body painted just like they do it in Rio! The all-ages afternoon family matinee will also have these activities along with mask and instrument making workshops for kids. Both afternoon and evening shows will take place at one of the premier event venues in the Twin Cities, International Market Square.

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 falls a week after it is celebrated in Brazil, allowing for many of the special guests to come to Minneapolis.
Carnaval Brasileiro 2016
DATE: Saturday, February 13, 2016.

TIMES: 3 pm - 6pm (doors at 2:30) BrazilFest Family Matinee (all-ages)

9 pm - 2 am (doors at 8:30) Evening Masquerade Ball (18+)

VENUE: International Market Square, 275 Market Street, Minneapolis

TICKETS: 3 pm Afternoon Family BrazilFest: $10 in advance, $15 at the door.

9 pm Evening Masquerade Ball: $20 - $30 in advance, $40 at the door.
Tickets for both events available now at www.BrazilFest.org

Beira Mar Brasil, a band with over 20 years of history, features Brazilian music veteran Robert Everest on guitar, cavaquinho, and vocals. He is joined by keyboards, bass, drums, a horn section, and multiple percussionists. The group has performed at prestigious events, including the 15th Anniversary of the Sculpture Garden at the Walker, the Ordway and at the 2011 Children’s Heartlink Gala. Everest has toured throughout the world (including over a half-dozen trips to Brazil), has performed with Manhattan Samba in New York, and has appeared at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's annual gala in the Twin Cities. Special guest Dandara Odara, who has been referred to as the "Brazilian Tina Turner," has performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival and other premier events in cities including Los Angeles, Paris, Lyon, and London. With over 1,500 attendees in 2015, Carnaval Brasileiro has become a very popular and appreciated mid-winter getaway!