Brazil’s Vibrant Festa Junina Comes to Brooklyn with Opa! Festa Junina at House of Yes

New York, NY — Brazil is famous for its electrifying Carnival, but there’s another national celebration that holds just as much cultural significance: Festa Junina, a traditional harvest festival that takes over cities and villages across Brazil each June with music, dancing, bonfires, food, and vibrant traditions.

On June 8th, New Yorkers will have the rare opportunity to experience this rich cultural celebration when Group Dot BR, the city’s only Brazilian theater company, brings Opa! Festa Junina to House of Yes in Brooklyn. This 8-hour immersive event blends traditional Brazilian culture with contemporary performance, music, art, culinary, and community engagement.

Rooted in Catholic and Indigenous celebrations and originally brought to Brazil by the Portuguese and mixed with African and Indigenous traditions, Festa Junina has evolved into a unique reflection of Brazil’s regional diversity and artistic spirit. The festival is known for its rural-inspired costumes, folkloric dances like the quadrilha, and its iconic music—especially forró, the rhythmic sound of Brazil’s northeast.

Opa! Festa Junina will feature live performances by Mambembé with special guest Marcos Costa, and the internationally acclaimed Forró in the Dark. DJs Greg Caz, Gaspar Muniz, and Tietta will spin Brazilian beats throughout the day. Attendees can also take part in a full hour intro forró class taught by Rafael Picoloto from Forró New York, as part of the Forró New York Weekend, and a group crash course in quadrilha and forró led by Sabrina Evangelista.

The party includes a humorous mock wedding and a Quadrilha King and Queen competition hosted by drag artist Pietra Parker, the traditional flirty message exchange known as Correio Elegante, and even a live appearance from the folkloric puppet Bumba Meu Boi, brought to life on the dance floor.

Adding to the festive atmosphere will be an exhibition of “Recicla Arraiá” by Mercia Braga and Ana Buzia  presented by Angelica Walker Projects. Traditional Festa Junina foods will be available, including beloved Brazilian sweets like paçoca and pé de moleque.

As always, Group Dot BR adds a theatrical touch. This year’s twist? A whimsical on-site performance featuring a mythological clash between the goddess Juno and São João, each claiming to be the true origin of the party.

 


The event is family-friendly until 6 PM, with free entry for children under 12. After 6 PM, the celebration continues for guests 21 and over. Proceeds will help fund Group Dot BR’s next theater production, The Passion According to Janair.

Opa! Festa Junina is supported in part by the NYSCA-A.R.T./New York Creative Opportunity Fund.

For more information:
Contact: info@group.br.com | Website: www.group.br.com/ | Instagram: @groupdotbr | Event Page: www.group.br.com/opa

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