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Brazilian NYC

Brazilian NYC used to be in Little Brazil on 46th St between Fifth and Sixth Avenues in Midtown, Manhattan, but has shrunk a lot. There is a Brazilian community in Astoria, Queens. Metro New York’s biggest Brazilian community is in Newark, New Jersey’s Ironbound District.

Little Brazil is on 46th St between Fifth & Sixth Avenue. 🇧🇷

NYC Brazilian Restaurants

  • Brigadeiro Bakery
  • Casa
  • Churrascaria Plataforma
  • Emporium Brasil
  • Fogo de Chão
  • Ipanema
  • Via Brasil

NYC Brazilian Festivals

Brazilian New York City

Brazilian Culture

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Brazilian NYC News

Brazilian NYC Archive

January 2023

The Annette A Aguilar Trio, featuring Uruguayan guitar hero Bele Beledo, plays late night jazz on New Year’s Eve morning at the Uptown Garrison in Hudson Heights, Manhattan on Sunday, January 1, 2023 from 1:30-4:30am. No cover. 🇧🇷🇳🇮🇺🇾

The 46th Three Kings Day Parade NYC 2023 with Annette Aguilar & Stringbeans, BombaYo!, and Fogo Azul marches up Park Avenue from 106th St to 115th St in “El Barrio” East Harlem on Friday, January 6, 2023 from 11am – 12noon. FREE! 🇧🇷🇳🇮🇵🇷🇪🇸

The PBR Buck Off 2022 professional bull rider’s rodeo brings 35 of the top American, Brazilian and Mexican cowboys to ride the meanest bulls at Madison Square Garden in Chelsea, NYC, Friday-Sunday, January 6-8, 2022. From $97. 🇧🇷 🇲🇽

The New York City Ballet Winter 2023 Season is at the David H Koch Theater in Lincoln Center, January 17 – February 26, 2023. 🇧🇷🇵🇷🇪🇸

For the Master Drawings New York 2023 art fair, 25 art galleries show old masters and new masters from their collections and from visiting international dealers; in Manhattan’s Upper East Side; from Friday, January 20-28, 2023. The exhibition continues online through February 28, 2023. 🇦🇷🇧🇷🇨🇴🇲🇽🇵🇦🇻🇪 | 🇫🇷🇮🇹

Flag Series: Raul Mourão is a public art installation of Mourão’s “The New Brazilian Flag #3, (2018); at Americas Society on 68th St in the Upper East Side; from January 24 – May 30, 2023. FREE! 🇧🇷

Remember Antônio Carlos Jobim (Girl from Ipanema), one of the principle founders of bossa nova. He was born in Tijuca, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on January 25, 1927. 🇧🇷

Bispo do Rosario: All Existing Materials on Earth, an art exhibition of work by Afro-Brazilian contemporary artist Bispo do Rosario (1909-1989); is at Americas Society in the Upper East Side; Wednesday, January 25 – May 20, 2023. FREE! 🇧🇷

Deep Marajó: Contemporary Marajoara Ceramics, an art exhibition of contemporary ceramics from the Marajó archipelago at the mouth of the Amazon River; is at Americas Society in the Upper East Side; from Wednesday, January 25 – May 20, 2023. FREE! 🇧🇷

February 2023

Scottish classical guitarist Sean Shibe celebrates the Spanish influence on classical guitar through non-Spanish artists including Barrios, Ginastera, Poulenc, Villa-Lobos; at the 92nd Street Y Kaufmann Concert Hall; on Wednesday, February 8, 2023 at 7:30pm. From $25. 🇦🇷 🇧🇷 🇫🇷 🇵🇾 🇪🇸

ALBA Musik, the Albert Alabedra and Bárbara Martínez duo,  performs Brazilian bossa nova and Spanish flamenco; in the City Vineyard at City Winery in Chelsea, NYC; on Thursday, February 16, 2023 at 6pm. $25. 🇦🇷🇧🇷🇪🇸🇻🇪

South African pianist Nduduzo Makhatini and Brazilian mandolin virtuoso Hamilton de Holanda show how we, the African Diaspora, turn the colonial mess into something wonderful at Jazz at Lincoln Center in the Appel Room on Friday-Saturday, February 24-25, 2023. From $81. 🇿🇦🇧🇷

March 2023

Happy Birthday Eliane Elias! The Brazilian Jazz pianist was born in São Paulo, Brazil on March 19, 1960. 🇧🇷

April 2023

Dance Theatre of Harlem presents New York premieres by William Forsythe and Tiffany Rea-Fisher, George Balanchine’s “Allegro Brillante,” and works by Resident Choreographer Robert Garland at New York City Center in Midtown, Manhattan, Wednesday-Sunday, April 19-23, 2023. From $35. 🌍🇺🇸🇧🇷🇨🇺🇭🇹

August 2023

Happy Birthday Caetano Veloso! The co-founder of the Tropicália movement of 1968 was born in Bahia, Brazil on August 7, 1942.

December 2022

Watch Croatia vs Brazil (world #12 vs #1), a FIFA World Cup 2022 Qatar Quarter-final match, at your favorite New York sports bar on Friday, December 9, 2022 at 11am ET. 🇧🇷

Brazilian pianist Jovino Santos Neto plays Jazz at Zinc Bar in Greenwich Village, on Saturday, December 10, 2022 at 7 & 8:30pm. From $25. 🇧🇷

November 2022

World Ballet Day 2022 is a streaming behind-the scenes look at a day in the life of a ballet company including American Ballet Theater, Alvin Ailey American Dance Company, and many leading global ballet companies on Wednesday, November 2, 2022. 🇺🇸 🇧🇷 🇨🇺 🇫🇷 🇮🇹 🇲🇨 🇵🇷 🇿🇦 🇪🇸

Cellist Antonio Meneses and Classical guitarist Paul Galbraith play Brazilian and European chamber music at Americas Society in the Upper East Side, on Thursday, November 3, 2022 at 7pm. Free with RSVP. 🇧🇷

DOC NYC 2022, America’s largest documentary film festival, is at IFC Center in Manhattan’s West Village, SVA Theatre and Cinépolis Chelsea, Wednesday, November 9-17, 2022. It continues online to November 27. 🇧🇷 🇨🇺 🇩🇴 🇨🇦 🇮🇹 ✡️ 🇻🇪 🇺🇸

Poranguí: Beauty Way Tour featuring co-facilitator Ashley Klein, is a House Music, dance and healing experience at House of Yes in Bushwick, Brooklyn, on Thursday, November 10, 2022 at 6:45pm (6pm doors). $41. 🇧🇷🇲🇽

Brazilian pianist Aleyson Scopel and violinist Gabriela Queiroz play Prado, Beethoven, Villa-Lobos and Grieg in the Carnegie Hall Weill Recital Hall on Saturday, November 12, 2022 at 2pm. From $69. 🇧🇷

October 2022

Israeli guitarist Yotam Silberstein tributes Brazilian composer Dominguinhos at Zinc Bar in Greenwich Village, on Tuesday, October 4, 2022 at 7 & 8:30pm. From $25. 🇮🇱🇧🇷

OPENING RECEPTION ~ BRONX HISPANIC FESTIVAL
Abya Yala: Structural Origins, an art exhibition on the Indigenous roots of the Americas, opens with a reception in Longwood Art Gallery at Hostos College in Mott Haven, The Bronx, on Wednesday, October 5, 2022 from 5-8pm. Ends December 21. bronxarts.org 🇧🇴🇧🇷🇨🇱🇨🇴🇨🇺🇩🇴🇬🇹🇲🇽🇵🇪🇵🇷

OPENING RECEPTION
Political/Subjective Maps: Anna Bella Geiger, Magali Lara, Lea Lublin, and Margarita Paksa, an exhibition of Latin conceptual artists, opens with a reception at ISLAA, the Institute for Studies on Latin American Art, on Thursday, October 13, 2022 from 5-8pm. Ends February 24, 2023. Free. 🇦🇷🇧🇷🇫🇷🇲🇽

OPENING RECEPTION
Maria Auxiliadora, an exhibition of the Brazilian artist’s (1935-1974) paintings, opens with a reception at Mendes Wood DM in Tribeca, Manhattan, on Friday, October 14, 2022 from 6-8pm. Ends November 11. Free. mendeswooddm.com 🇧🇷

The São Paulo Symphony Orchestra, led by Marin Alsop, makes its Carnegie Hall debut with a program of Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade,” and works by Brazilian composer Villa-Lobos on Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage on Friday, October 14, 2022 at 8pm. From $30. carnegiehall.org 🇧🇷

São Paulo Chamber Soloists makes its U.S. debut playing Latin American Classical Music at Americas Society in the Upper East Side, on Monday, October 17, 2022 at 7pm. Free with RSVP. 🇧🇷

The American Ballet Theatre 2022 Fall Season brings the World Premiere of Rudd’s “Lifted” with an All-Black cast, plus Ratmansky’s “Whipped Cream,” Ashton’s “The Dream,” Ratmansky’s “The Seasons,” Jessica Lang’s “Children’s Songs Dance,” and Kylián’s “Sinfonietta,” with African American, Argentine, Brazilian, Cuban, Filipino and Spanish dancers to the David H Koch Theater in Lincoln Center, October 20-30, 2022. From $40. 🇦🇷🇧🇷🇨🇺🇵🇭🇪🇸🇺🇸

Maxwell Alexandre: Pardo é Papel: The Glorious Victory and New Power, an exhibition of the Brazilian artist’s paintings about the African Diaspora in Brazil, is at The Shed in Hudson Yards, Wednesday, October 26, 2022 – January 8, 2023. 🇧🇷

September 2022

Brazilian Day 2022 is expected to be a casual street fair only in Manhattan’s Little Brazil on 46th St between Fifth & Sixth Avenues on Labor Day Weekend, Sunday, September 4, 2022 from 9am – 5pm. Free. 🇧🇷

Celebrate Brazilian Independence Day on Wednesday, September 7, 2022. 🇧🇷

Maria Klabin: Liquid Air, the Brazilian painter’s first US solo show, is at Nara Roesler in Chelsea, Manhattan, Monday-Friday, September 7 – October 15, 2022. nararoesler.art 🇧🇷

OPENING RECEPTION
Luiz Zerbini: Dry River explores the relation of people and nature. The exhibition opens with a reception at Sikkema Jenkins in Chelsea, Manhattan on Wednesday, September 7, 2022 from 6-8pm. The show runs to October 15. 🇧🇷

Maria Klabin: Liquid Air, the Brazilian painter’s first US solo show, is at Nara Roesler in Chelsea, Manhattan, Monday-Friday, September 7 – October 15, 2022. nararoesler.art 🇧🇷

The New York City Ballet Fall 2022 Season features Balanchine, Robbins, Ratmansky, Peck, and premieres by Reisen and Abraham at the David H Koch Theater in Lincoln Center, September 20 – October 16, 2022. From $38. 🇧🇷🇵🇷🇪🇸🇺🇸

The 19th Fall For Dance Festival is at New York City Center in Midtown, Manhattan, September 21 – October 2, 2022. $20. Tickets go on sale on Sunday, August 28, 2022 at 11am. 🇩🇿🇦🇷🇧🇷🇫🇷🇮🇳🇳🇱🇵🇹🇪🇸🇺🇦🇺🇸

OPENING RECEPTION
Pedro Wirz: sadnest, an exhibition of the Swiss Brazilian artist’s work on the intersection of organic and synthetic, opens the new Kay Matsumiya gallery space with a reception in Manhattan Chinatown on Thursday, September 29, 2022 from 6-9pm. kaimatsumiya.com 🇨🇭🇧🇷

August 2022

  • Salsa Stories Sound of Light Edition South Bronx is at the Open Street on Kelly St (between Ave St John & Legget Ave) in Longwood, The Bronx, on Friday, August 26 | September 2, 9, 16 & 30 | October 7 and 14, 2022, from 6-8pm. Free. 🇧🇷🇨🇴🇨🇺🇩🇴🇵🇦🇵🇪🇵🇷🇻🇪🗽
  • Salsa Stories Sound of Light Edition East Harlem is at the Open Street on East 115th St (between First Ave & Pleasant Ave) in “El Barrio” East Harlem, on Saturday, August 27 | September 3, 10, 17 & 24 | October 1, 8 & 15, 2022, from 5-7pm. Free. 🇧🇷🇨🇴🇨🇺🇩🇴🇵🇦🇵🇪🇵🇷🇻🇪🗽
  • Salsa Stories Sound of Light Edition Lower East Side is at the Open Street in front of The Clemente on Suffolk St (between Rivington & Delancey) in “Loisaida” the Lower East Side, on Sunday, August 28 | September 4, 11, 18 & 25 | October 2, 9 & 16, 2022, from 3-6pm. Free. 🇧🇷🇨🇴🇨🇺🇩🇴🇵🇦🇵🇪🇵🇷🇻🇪🗽

The 142nd US Open Tennis 2022 tournament is at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Flushing Meadows Corona Park, Queens August 29 – September 11, 2022. 🇦🇷🇧🇷🇨🇱🇨🇴🇪🇨🇫🇷🇮🇹🇲🇽🇵🇪🇵🇹🇷🇴🇪🇸

April 2022

David Byrne’s American Utopia (SPECIAL TONY AWARD) is at the St James to Apr 3. From $59. 🇧🇷🇨🇦🇨🇴🇫🇷🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇵🇷🇺🇸

Dance Theatre of Harlem at the 1st City Center Dance Festival starts with a Gala Performance that includes the NY premieres of “Higher Ground” and an extended “Balamouk” by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa at New York City Center in Midtown, Tue, Apr 5 at 7pm and regular performances Fri-Sun, Apr 8-10. From $35. 🇧🇷🇨🇴🇨🇺🇭🇹🇺🇸

March 2022

Latin American Art, including a newly discovered Diego Rivera, goes on view at Christie’s in Rockefeller Center on Wed, Mar 2-10 for auction Fri, Mar 11 at 11am.
🇦🇷🇧🇷🇨🇱🇨🇴🇨🇷🇨🇺🇪🇨🇲🇽🇳🇮🇵🇪🇻🇪

The first US show of Brazilian artist Marcelo Silveira focuses on his practice with “leftovers” of Cajacatinga wood and old magazines, at Nara Roesler in Chelsea, Wed, Mar 9 – Apr 23. 🇧🇷

The New York International Children’s Film Festival 2022 (NYICFF) screens Oscar-qualifying children’s films for a variety of ages at the SVA Theatre in Chelsea, Manhattan, Fri-Sun, Mar 4-19, 2022. From $17. 🇦🇷🇧🇷🇨🇦🇫🇷🇮🇱🇲🇽🇵🇸🇺🇬🇺🇸

The Peter Brainin Special Quintet featuring the Brasilian Jazz Workshop with Helio Alves, play originals and Brazilian classics at Chelsea Table and Stage on Sat, Mar 12 at 9:30pm. From $22. 🇧🇷

Mike Lavalle’s Forro Party plays Brazilian Forro at Barbès in Park Slope, Brooklyn on Thu, Mar 10 from 10pm – midnight. $20. 🇧🇷

Doc Fortnight 2022, MoMA’s documentary film festival, is online to members and in-person at the Museum of Modern Art in Midtown, Wed, Feb 23 – Mar 10. 🇧🇷🇫🇷🇲🇽🇵🇭🇪🇸

February 2022

The 7th Neighboring Scenes Latin American film festival is in person at Film at Lincoln Center, Feb 24-28. $15 per film or $80 All-Access Pass ($20 students). 🇦🇷🇧🇷🇨🇱🇨🇴🇨🇷🇲🇽🇵🇪🇺🇾🇻🇪

Baile de Favela Carnaval Party is at Le Poisson Rouge in Greenwich Village on Sat, Feb 19 at 11:30pm (11pm doors). From $12. 🇧🇷

Amelia Toledo: Frieze Los Angeles, explores connections between art, nature and society at Nara Roesler in Chelsea, Thu-Sun, Feb 17-20. nararoesler.art 🇧🇷

Vik Muniz: Scraps, a new series of photo mosaics based on the artist’s “Surfaces” series, opens with a reception at Sikkema Jenkins in Chelsea, on Thu, Feb 17, 2022 from 6-8pm and runs to Apr 9. 🇧🇷

It’s Brazilian Carnival Night with Te Encontro no Samba featuring Mambembe at Drom in the East Village on Wed, Feb 16 at 7pm. $20. 🇧🇷

Bebel Gilberto, Guilherme Monteiro and DJ Gaspar Muniz play Bossa Nova and Brazilian Jazz at Nublu in the East Village on Sun, Feb 13 at 8pm & 10pm. $40. 🇧🇷

Duduka Da Fonseca & Quarteto Universal play Brazilian Jazz at Terraza 7 in Elmhurst, Queens on Fri, Feb 4 at 8pm. $15. 🇧🇷

December 2021

Duduka da Fonseca & Quarteto Universal play Brazilian Jazz at LunÀtico in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn on Sun, Dec 19 at 9pm. $10. 🇧🇷

Duduka Da Fonseca & Quarteto Universal play Brazilian Jazz at Terraza 7 in Elmhurst, Queens on Fri, Dec 17 at 7pm. $10. 🇧🇷

October 2021

The New Museum 2021 Triennial: Soft Water Hard Stone is at the New Museum in the Lower East Side, Oct 28, 2021 – Jan 23, 2022. 🇦🇷🇧🇷🇯🇲🇲🇽🇵🇪🇺🇸|🇨🇩🇿🇦|🇮🇳🇵🇭|🇫🇷

Mambembe plays Samba/Reggae and Kikiriki Biguey plays Afro Cuban Rumba at Drom in the East Village on Tue, Oct 26 at 8pm (7pm doors). $10. 🇧🇷🇯🇲🇨🇺

The E/AB Editions Artists’ Book Fair is virtual Oct 18-31. FREE eabfair.org 🇧🇷🇨🇦🇫🇷🇮🇱🇮🇹🇲🇽

Dance Theatre of Harlem does pop-up performances inspired by Yayoi Kusama’s sculptures in the Kusama garden at the NY Botanical Garden in The Bronx, Sat-Sun, Oct 16-17 from 2-5pm. From $25. 🇧🇷🇨🇺🇭🇹🇺🇸

Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, Sep 15 – Oct 15. [We’re included, even though we are not Hispanic, but Luso.]

Fleur Seule sings “Latin Love Songs” at Birdland in Hell’s Kitchen on Thu, Oct 14 at 8:30pm. From $20. 🇧🇷🇨🇺🇵🇷

The Kicking and Screening soccer film festival screens Big-Time Soccer: The Remarkable Rise & Fall of the NASL (featuring Pelé at the NY Cosmos) at Upper 90 in Astoria, Queens on Wed, Oct 13 at 7pm. $20. 🇧🇷

The 59th New York Film Festival is at Film at Lincoln Center, Fri, Sep 24 – Oct 10. 🇦🇴🇧🇴🇧🇷🇨🇦🇨🇴🇫🇷🇮🇳🇮🇹🇲🇽🇵🇹🇷🇴🇪🇸🇺🇸

Luan Barbosa’s Roda de Samba plays Brazilian Samba and Pagode at Drom in the East Village on Sun, Oct 3 at 7:30pm. (6:30pm doors). $20. 🇧🇷

September 2021

The Winter Film Awards International Film Festival is at Cinema Village in Greenwich Village, Thu, Sep 23 – Oct 2. $16.50 winterfilmawards.com 🇦🇷🇧🇷🇲🇽🇪🇸

Fotoclubismo: Brazilian Modernist Photography 1946-1964 closes at MoMA in Midtown on Sun, Sep 26, 2021 from 10:30am – 5:30pm. $25 🇧🇷

The New York Yankees celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with a giveaway of Yankee caps with Hispanic flags for Yankee games on Fri-Wed, Sep 17-22, 2021. From $40. mlb.com
🇦🇷🇧🇴🇧🇷🇨🇱🇨🇴🇨🇷🇨🇺🇩🇴🇪🇨🇸🇻🇬🇹🇭🇳🇲🇽🇳🇮🇵🇦🇵🇾🇵🇪🇵🇷🇪🇸🇺🇾🇻🇪

Brazilian New York City

Brazilian New York City is mostly in Little Brazil, Manhattan; Astoria, Queens; and Newark, New Jersey.

Manhattan’s Little Brazil is on 46th St between Fifth & Sixth Avenue. It has shrunk a lot over the years. There are still Emporium Brasil, Ipanema and Via Brasil restaurants.

The Brazilian Consulate is in Midtown East. There is a Banco do Brasil Brazilian bank in Midtown.

Fogo de Chao and Churrascaria Plataforma are Manhattan’s Brazilian steakhouses. Rio Market in Astoria, Queens is a great Brazilian market.

SOB’s (Sounds of Brazil) is a world music night club in Hudson Square (West SoHo). Wednesday nights at Nublu are New York City’s Brazil night.

Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer was the lead designer of the United Nations headquarters. He also designed Brasilia, the Brazilian capital.

The Bossa Nova at Carnegie Hall concert in 1962 popularized bossa nova around the world.

Brazilian New Yorkers

João De Matos hosts the Brazilian Day festival. Renowned artist Vik Muniz splits his time between New York City and Brazil. He has tile art installations at the (Q) 72nd St station. He is represented by Sikkema Jenkins & Co. Dance Theatre of Harlem has some wonderful Brazilian dancers. Forro in the Dark is a great Brazilian club forro band. Bossa nova singer Bebel Gilberto splits her time between New York and the world. Geova makes incredible handmade fashion in the East Village. Marguerita Bornstein was a famous Brazilian illustrator and cartoonist living in Brooklyn.

Can you believe we are blessed with two Brazilian women’s drum corps? Fogo Azul NYC is a samba drum line. Batalá New York is a samba reggae drum line.

The Brazilian World

Many amazing Brazilian artists visit New York City. The New York Cosmos soccer team peaked when Pelé played for them in 1975-77.

Carmen Miranda popularized samba worldwide from the 1930s to the 1950s. People laugh at her fruit hat and silly image, but at her peak she was laughing all the way to the bank as the the highest paid woman in Hollywood. People came to resent her image, but perhaps we shouldn’t blame her for making the best of the limitations that were put on Latin women in that era. She was a pioneer in a tough time.

Brazil has important modern artists including Lygia Clark, Lygia Pape, Tarsila do Amaral and Hélio Oiticica. As their careers developed, they all seemed to use their fame to promote social justice. The Sylvio Perlstein Collection is one of the most important Brazilian art collections.

Sebastião Salgado is a world-renowned Brazilian photographer. Valdir Cruz is famous for his Indigenous and gaucho photography.

Brazilian Culture

Brazil is a blend of Indigenous, Portuguese and African cultures. Indigenous communities have an impact on the culture. Brazil also has notable Japanese and Arab communities.

Brazilians love soccer and are some of the world’s best players. Brazil has the world’s biggest Carnival festival.

Churrascaria is a Brazilian grilled steak tradition. Southern Brazil has gaucho culture. Feijoada is traditional Brazilian stew.

There is so much great Brazilian music. Samba and Pagode are from Bahia. Choro is a form of Carnival music. New Orleans jazz sounds like choro. Bossa nova is the samba-jazz fusion of the 1960s that blended with rock into MPB, Música popular brasileira (Brazilian pop). Sertanejo is the Brazilian country music that is among the most popular music in Brazil now. Forró is a country dance music. Baile funk is an urban music out of the rio favelas. Brazil has strong classical music and opera traditions. Heitor Villa-Lobos is a famous classical composer.

Capoeria is a beautiful martial arts dance with an African heritage. Brazil makes great telenovelas and movies.

Candomblé is an Orisha faith with an African heritage.

South American