WELL it had to happen some day.
After resolutely staying away from one soggy samba party after another, over the last five summers, the sun has finally decided to ditch Rio and make a headline appearance at this weekend's Brazilica carnival.
The weather forecasts say Liverpool will be hotter than Brazil this Saturday at 27C – perfect samba conditions and beating Rio's cloudy 25C forecast.
Who needs Mathew Street? All you have to do is let your hair down.
No one can disagree that this balmy Saturday evening will be the perfect setting for the glittering carnival parade which will pass through the city’s streets in a stunning Rio de Janeiro style spectacle.
Over 500 performers will take part in this Mardi Gras-style carnival with glittering costumes, floats, samba music and dance and plenty of alcoholic beverage.
Also on Saturday, Williamson Square will host a Music Stage throughout the day and evening, hosted by DJs from 107.6 Juice FM. The stage will feature the best Brazilian bands such as headliners, Rio-based samba Beatle Band Sargento Pimenta.
Also see jazz funky Tribo Da Pesada, both bands command 100,000-strong audiences in their native country.
Then there's a host of other samba and funk bands, dancers and DJs will be on hand to entertain revellers who will be able to eat, drink and be merry as they experience this great programme of music and samba dancing, with an outdoor ‘cocktail shack’ and stalls offering the best in Brazilian food.
A brand new element of this year’s carnival day is Brazilica Capoeira Encontro at St Luke’s ‘Bombed Out’ Church - an afternoon of capoeira demonstrations and performances from internationally renowned capoeira master Mestre Parente of Capoeira Cordão de Ouro.
Capoeira a Brazilian martial art that combines elements of dance, acrobatics and music.
Bob down between noon and 2pm on Saturday 20 July to watch the masters in action and maybe even have a go yourself.
Those looking for a warm up to the main carnival day should head to the the Newz Bar at 7pm this Friday (19 July) for the yearly Brazilica Carnival Queen competition.
Head banging yet? Blame it on Rio.
Brazilica Carnival Route and Map - Saturday July 20
8pm at Abercrombie Square before leading down Mulberry Street, turning onto Oxford Street, past the Metropolitan Cathedral, then making its way down Hope Street.
From here, the carnival will dance down Hardman Street, passing St Luke’s (Bombed Out) Church, down Bold Street,through Church Street and upTarleton Street, landing with a bang at the Main Stage site at Williamson Square, in the heart of Liverpool City Centre, where a number of acts will take to the stage until 11pm in a completely FREE fiesta.
Liverpool Samba School, joined by nine special guests from Copenhagen’s famous samba school Carioca De Copenhague, will perform alongside several celebrated samba groups from across the UK including London-based Paraiso School of Samba and London Samba School (dancers from both these groups wowed at the Olympic Closing Ceremony last year) and Rhythms of the City. The carnival would not be complete without acclaimed local samba groups including Batala Liverpool, Oya Batacuda, Karamba Samba from Chester and Oxiris Samba School from the Wirral.
The carnival route
