Brazilian Day San Diego is set to hit the streets of downtown Pacific Beach on Sunday, Sept 18. The always colorful and vibrant celebration has been steadily growing since its inception four years ago and now prides itself as being “the biggest Brazilian Day on the West Coast.” “I think the vibe San Diego carries brings a lot of Brazilians to the city,” said events director Paulo Batuta. “Everyone compares San Diego to Rio de Janeiro with all of the beaches, and the climate makes San Diego special to us.” The event will once again take place on Garnet Avenue between Everts Street and Mission Boulevard beginning at 11 a.m. and running through 7 p.m. The beach lifestyle of San Diego has been attracting Brazilians for a long time, so it makes perfect sense to celebrate Brazilian Day in Pacific Beach, Batuta said. “In Pacific Beach, we have a big number of Brazilians who live in the area,” Batuta said. “This area is a really well-known area for a big Brazilian population. PB is known as a favorite area for Brazilians to go, hang out and meet up. Some of us call it our ‘Little Brazil.’” For a day, the sights and sounds of downtown Pacific Beach will be filled with everything Brazil. There will be many opportunities to taste the delicious foods such as Brazilian barbeque, feijoada and pastel offered by vendors. Music will fill the air as ensembles perform bossa nova, forro, axe, batucada and of course, samba. Afro-Brazilian dance and capoeira (a combination of dance, acrobatics and martial arts) will also be on display throughout the festival. The main event gets under way at 3:30 p.m. when the highly-anticipated parade is set to begin. Exotic costumes, contagious rhythms, colorful floats and lively percussion bands will take center stage as the event comes to a climax. “The parade is the highlight, that is the moment everyone is waiting for and nobody should miss it,” Batuta said. Brazilian Day San Diego serves as a the largest fundraiser for the Capoeira Institute, a nonprofit organization that provides outreach programs for underprivileged children and teens with a focus on Brazilian culture and fine arts. This year’s Brazilian Day San Diego theme is “Green and Growing Responsibly.” Workshops will be provided to educate children and adults on the ways they can change daily habits to help the health of the planet and individuals. Brazil Day is a free, non-alcohol, family-friendly event and will feature a kid’s area where children can enjoy carnival rides, inflatable jumps and more. For more information, visit www.braziliandaysandiego.com.
