Brazilian festival goes Coco: Annual event moves to Seminole Casino Coconut Creek this year
The samba parade is winding its way to Coconut Creek.
Set for noon to 11 p.m. Oct. 28, the 12th Annual Brazilian Festival Florida will be at Seminole Casino Coconut Creek, with concert performances, kids’ rides, a business expo and food vendors serving up everything from street food to traditional desserts, including feijoada (black bean stew), pão de queijo (cheese bread), quindim (coconut egg custard ) and brigadeiro (fudge balls similar to bon-bons or truffles).
“You’re going to feel like you’re in another world,” says festival founder/director Luciano Sameli. “It will be an immersive experience into Brazilian art, culture, gastronomy, traditions and roots.”
Set up at The Stage at Coco — the casino’s new outdoor entertainment venue — this will be the first time the festival comes to Coconut Creek. Starting in 2012 and drawing 15,000 to 20,000 people, the event took place in Pompano Beach for the first eight years. It later moved to Fort Lauderdale: at Huizenga Plaza in 2020, Fort Lauderdale Beach Park in 2021 and Snyder Park last year.
“Seminole Casino Coconut Creek is excited to host this celebration of unity, diversity and community spirit,” says Ryan Maskiell, the casino’s vice president of marketing. “This event will be an unforgettable experience for all attendees.”
For lovers of Brazilian music, the lineup will include:
- Falamansa (Forró or dance/party music)
- Caju Pra Baixo (samba and pagode music)
- Fernanda Abreu (former lead singer of ’80s pop-rock band Blitz and now considered the godmother of funk carioca)
- Thathi and Patricia Coelho (the two rock singers are collaborating on honoring the late Brazilian legend Rita Lee)
“We are paying tribute to Rita Lee. For Brazilians, she was The Beatles,” Sameli says. “She recently passed away this year and we have the duty and the obligation to show upcoming generations.”
General admission for “early bird” tickets is $30, while VIP tickets cost $80. Beginning Sept. 1, the general admission “early bird” tickets will go up to $40 and VIP tickets will be $100. At-the-gate prices have not been announced yet.
“The tickets go higher as it comes closer to the festival. We want people to plan ahead and save money,” says Sameli, who produces the festival through The Heartbeat Foundation, a nonprofit cultural organization.
Seminole Casino Coconut Creek is located at 5550 NW 40th St. For more information, visit brazilianfestival.org, seminolecoconutcreekcasino.com or instagram.com/brazilianfestivalflorida.