Brazil festival set for Institute Park

It’s a time to gather in a spirit of music, dance, family and friends, the celebration of a heritage, and sharing of a culture with the whole community.

Organizers are getting ready for the Brazilian Festival of Worcester, set for Sept. 14 at its typical home at Institute Park.

Each year, the festival celebrates a particular state of Brazil, and this year, the festival honors the state of Minas Gerais. Located in the eastern part of Brazil, It reaches into the interior, and is known for its place in Brazilian history, and the immortal quest for gold.

The festival will feature live music performances of Brazilian musical styles such as pagode, forró, and contemporary sertanejo, along with dance shows, a carnival costume parade, a variety of Brazilian food, including the signature barbecue, called churrasco, and children’s activities, including pony rides, a mini-train, face-painting, and a petting zoo with farm animals.

There will be demonstrations of capoeira, a samba group, and musical acts, including DJ Helton, Edlaine Faria, Sergio Almeida, and Flavio Lazo Acordion.

The festival also celebrates Brazilian Independence, the official date of which is Sept. 7. On this day, Brazilians recall the nation’s transition in 1822 from a colony of imperial Portugal to an independent nation.

A ‘unique and special’ place

Minas Gerais is known for its 18th-century architecture, and places with an agrarian way of life, including the raising of cattle. “The inland is unique and special, because it’s a simple place,” said Suely DiBara, festival organizer, and the longtime driving force behind the celebration of Brazilian culture and history. What’s more, DiBara said, it’s the home state of many Brazilian people living and working in the U.S., so this year’s festival offers a bit of a homecoming.

The state is also known for its legendary wealth of gold discovered in the 1600s. DiBara said enslaved people were forced to mine gold at first; later, many people flocked there in a gold rush, in search of fortune, and opportunity.

“It’s like the country. It’s a lot of horses, cows, and simple people. They cook with wood, and fires,” DiBara said. Horses occupy a special place in the region’s culture, with rodeos, and parades honoring horses and cowboys, called gauchos both in Portuguese and Spanish. “It’s beautiful,” DiBara said. “And they have beautiful festivals, with music, dancing, food.”

A favorite snack is Pão de queijo, cheese-filled buns, or cheese bread, which will be available, DiBara said.

‘We invite everybody’

In all, the festival is expected to draw about 2,000 people. “I hope the weather will beautiful, like today. We have a beautiful festival. We try to promote it to everyone. Everyone is welcome from the community,” said DiBara. “Different nationalities. We invite everybody. We play music from Minas Gerais. We have music, dance, food, and the kids’ entertainment.”

The Brazilian Festival of Worcester represents one of the major festivals that take place annually in the city. Many festivals have faced challenges with festival organizers relating issues from the complexity of permitting processes, to overall costs. DiBara said to date, all has gone well in planning this year’s festival.

“I think it’s a helping more to us. They waived some fees, but of course, we still have to pay for this, and that. And because of the festival, I want everything for adults, and kids.” The festival receives several sponsorships, and support through the Worcester Cultural Council.