LIVERPOOL is limbering up and limbo-ing up to celebrate the best of Brazil - and that’s colour, carnival and culture. Understand? It’s nothing to do with you know what and it just might put a smile back on the faces of a few south-of-the-border exiles in the city.
Yes, it’s time for the Brazilica festival again. The main carnival isn’t until a week on Saturday (July 19) but it all kicks off (sorry) this Friday (July 11) with the Brazilica 2014 Launch Party at 24 Kitchen St, Baltic Quarter. “With the best tunes spun by Liverpool’s favourite DJ’s (sic) and the hottest Brazilian samba vibes, expect nothing less than a dance floor extravaganza to mark the start of Brazilica’s biggest and brightest carnival spectacular to date,” it says here.
In preparation for the carnival the following weekend, there will be a Headdress Making Workshop at The International Slavery Museum on July 12 & 13, 1-4pm. But if you can’t be doing with any of that, there are three film screenings worth noting and all of them free.
Estomago
On Monday July 14, Estomago follows the highs and lows of Raimundo Donato. In the great restaurant of life there are those who eat and those who get eaten, and Raimundo cooks in order to survive his journey from down and out, to celebrated chef, to prison convict. Featured at the 2008 Raindance Festival, it is being screened at The Brink on Parr Street. City of God 10 Years Later is showing at FACT on Wed July. This documentary re-joins the actors of 2002’s Brazilian Crime Drama City of God 10 years after the Oscar-nominated movie’s release.
On Thursday July 17, Tropicalia will be shown at The Brink. This powerful documentary from director Mercelo Machado explores the scene and its key players of the Tropicalia movement; born in the late 60s it used music and visual arts as a voice to confront the cultural and political establishment.
Alma De Cuba will host the annual Carnival Queen Competition on Friday 18th, while the main carnival day on Saturday July 19 promises a huge samba band parade travelling through the city.
A host of top Brazilian bands and artists will also play throughout the day and for the fourth year running, Williamson Square will host a music stage throughout the day and evening, presented by DJs from 107.6 Juice FM.
Organisers say: “Revellers will be able to eat, drink and be merry as they experience a great programme of music and samba dancing, with an outdoor ‘cocktail shack’ and stalls offering the best in Brazilian food.”
Watch out also for the Latin American food marketplace at Williamson Square. The Kazimier Garden is staging a Brazilian Barbecue from 2pm.
But at some point you have to get back on the bike and the game that is woven into the national psyche will always be football. Brazilica Street Soccer Festival will name the winner of the Brazilica Futsal Finals after the best 3-a–side football teams compete against each other in the finals of this Merseyside competition organised by Halton Street Soccer and Futsal CIC. The Everton in the Community Stage, will also be bringing more music close to the action from 12-6pm on Church Street.
The carnival closing party is also at The Kazimier from 10pm. Expect carnival DJs and a special guest DJ set from Patrick Forge, Tickets are £5.
It could all get rather sweaty.
