The sixth annual, soccer-themed Brazilian Day San Diego Street Fair and parade kicks off at 11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 8 with a festive celebration on five blocks of Garnet Avenue in Pacific Beach.
A carnival-style parade with vibrant floats, extravagant costumes and energetic music starts at 3 p.m. and is the highlight of the festival, which runs until 7 p.m. There will also be non-stop entertainment on two stages, including musical bands, dance ensembles, a food court, a vendor’s exhibition and a kids’ zone.
Billed as the biggest Brazilian Day on the West Coast, this year’s free festival celebrates the 2014 World Cup in Brazil to be held June 12 through July 13.
The 20th World Cup, being held for the second time in Brazil and the first time in South America since Argentina hosted in 1978, is expected to sell 3.3 million tickets worldwide. Held every four years, the last World Cup was hosted by South Africa in 2010.
Brazilian Day producer Paulo Batuta said the beaches and the large local contingent of Brazilians makes Pacific Beach the ideal venue to host the South American country’s independence-day celebration. “Brazilians refer to San Diego as the Rio de Janeiro of the United States,” said Batuta. “San Diego is one of the best places for Brazilians to come, many of whom live here.”
Batuta said the area’s geography, with its beaches and bays, is reminiscent of Rio.
Brazilian Day will bring a touch of Rio to San Diego, promised Batuta.
“It will bring the flavor of the Brazilian carnival and the highlights of that event — the music, the dance, the parade, the floats and the colors,” he said, adding the event’s diverse activities and more than 100 vendors are expected to draw an estimated 50,000 guests on festival day.
“It’s totally free and we will have areas for adults where alcohol is served, as well as places for families and an area for kids,” Batuta said.
Local bands and bands from Brazil, including Rio’s renowned Monobloco, known for incorporating diverse rhythms and musical styles, will be on stage.
The festival provides an unparalleled opportunity for the entire coastal community to come together and embrace the cultural flavors, sounds and arts of Brazil.
Vendors will serve up authentic Brazilian dishes, which Batuta said, “Is a big deal for a lot of us.”
Brazilian Day San Diego, produced by the nonprofit Capoeira Institute Inc., will be held on Garnet Avenue between Bayard and Everts streets. For more information, visit www.braziliandaysandiego.com.