The most attended and longest-running annual Brazilian event in the Twin Cities celebrates its 16th annual Carnaval Brasileiro on Saturday, March 3, 2018 at the Cedar Cultural Center. Over 50 singers, drummers, samba dancers, Capoeiristas (Brazilian martial artists) and artisans will transform The Cedar into an authentically festive Brazilian cultural experience!
Guitarist/vocalist Robert Everest and his ten-piece group Beira Mar Brasil will host the very unique Carnaval Brasileiro Masquerade Ball.  Everest is a world music expert and leads a band steeped in the sounds of Brazil — Samba, Axé, Frevo, Baião, and other dance-inducing styles from throughout the country. Singer and samba dancer extraordinaire, Dandara, will join Everest on stage.  Direct from Salvador da Bahia, Brazil’s famous party-loving city, Dandara performs at over 50 carnival celebrations around the world each year in Europe, North America, and of course, Brazil.  2017 will mark her twelfth straight appearance in Carnaval Brasileiro of the Twin Cities!  In addition to Dandara, Everest, and Beira Mar Brasil, other performers will include the 10-15 drummers from Brazilian percussion ensemble Batucada Do Norte, professional samba dancers Edilson Lima and Vanessa Luiz from São Paulo, Brazil, and the Brazilian martial arts group Omulu Capoeira of Minnesota.  Carnaval guests will be able to try out carnival masks created by master Brazilian artisan Goretti Aamot or have their face and body painted (just like they do it in Rio!).
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 two weeks after it is celebrated in Brazil, allowing for the special guests to come to Minneapolis.
Beira Mar Brasil, a band with over 15 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 and 2016 Children’s Heartlink Galas.  Everest has toured throughout the world, 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, 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, London, and Lyon.