CLEANSING OF 46TH STREET - SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER
4TH
Lavagem da Rua 46
Brazilian Cultural Parade and Festival
Winner of the Press Award 2010
The Best Cultural Event in the USA !
SEE YOU SEPTEMBER 4, 2010 AT OUR 3RD ANNUAL
CELEBRATION OF LAVAGEM
OUR SPECIAL GUEST WILL BE THE BRAZILIAN DIVA
MARGARETH MENEZES
WATCH THE VIDEO
Acclaimed, for
its enormous success in its first edition in 2008, the Cleansing
of 46th Street was incorporated into the official
calendar of the largest Brazilian celebration outside of Brazil
and it will open the celebrations of the Brazilian Day 2010,
bringing forth many new attractions.
“The Cleansing
of the 46th Street embraces the responsibility to help
expand the Brazilian culture in the world’s capital” says event
producer and general coordinator Silvana Magda. “We are fully
involved in this project to maintain our traditions and promote
our artists who of course, also have the particular responsibility
of strengthening the positive image of Brazil abroad.”
A mystic
tradition that started in the 18th century in Bahia,
the Lavagem/Cleansing, was brought about and reformulated for the
United States by Silvana Magda, with the support of the Brazilian
entrepreneur João de Matos. This year, the Lavagem/Cleansing
unites diverse voices and rhythms to genuinely represent the
enchantment, the tradition and spirituality of not only Bahia but
also of all the people. This glorious event will celebrate the
purification, the energy, the nature, the unification of the
people and the perpetuation of peace. The traditional “baianas”
will be the main attractions of the Lavagem.They will be dressed
in white colors, adorned with beads and carrying rosaries and
flowers as they will seek to honor all the saints. They will also
carry white jars and vases filled with perfumed water, energizing
the various groups in the procession throughout Little Brazil (46th
Street).
The Lavagem da
46 Rua or Cleansing of 46th street in 2010, much bigger and highly
acclaimed, will feature popular folkloric festivities from various parts of
Brazil. For the first time in New York City, activities pertaining
genuinely to Bahia will take center stage and blend with rhythms
and cultural manifestations of several other states of the
Federation portraying rhythms of Maracatu, Samba and Frevo.
This opening
event of the Brazilian Day will bring several attractions to the
stage to be located on 46th Street between Madison and
5th Avenue. The audience will be introduced to
dignitaries, sponsors and representatives who made the event
possible. Then the stage will be opened to Brazilian bands,
featuring world renowned artists and local artists, samba dancers,
the exciting 2nd annual pageant “Musa do Brazilian
Day,” in which the audience will be the judges and games involving
crowd participation.
There will be
food stands with typical northern dishes (moquecas, acarajes,
abaras, vatapa) also artesian crafts, paintings and everything
that the Northeast of Brazil and Brazil as a whole has to offer.
In the 2009
celebration, the Lavagem/Cleansing received worldwide coverage by
not only the American media but also the Brazilian and
International press as well. The New York Times an article about
the event on the front page of its Metro Section along with two
other mention in different issues. The Lavagem/Cleansing of 2008
was also featured in The New York Post, Daily Herald, Fox News,
NBC, in the United States, and in various Brazilian publications
like the Folha de Sao Paulo, Correio da Bahia, Jornal ATarde and
Caras magazine.
After the
Lavagem/Cleansing, the celebration will continue for one more day,
Sunday September 5 with the 26th anniversary of
Brazilian Day, taking place on 46th Street and Avenue
of the Americas.
To
participate or obtain more information about this event, please
contact the producer/general coordinator Silvana Magda at (917)
528-8151, or send an email to
lavagemdarua46ny@aol.com
PAST EVENT
2009
2008
LAVAGEM DA RUA 46 / CLEANSING OF 46TH STREET With
the green light given by the President of the Brazilian Day, Joao
de Matos, the coordinator and mastermind behind the Lavagem da Rua
46 / Cleansing of 46th street, Silvana Magda, made this
Parade/Festival official in the New York Calendar of summer
events.
Dj Charles and the host Mariani Ebert commanded the festival of
the Lavagem da Rua 46/ The Cleansing of 46th street. The
participants of the Brazilian Consul, José Alfredo Graça Lima, the
godfather of the festival Joao de Matos, and the director of Rede
Globo International, Amauri Soares, and the organizers of the
event as well were all in attendance. The talented Caroline Braga,
in lyrical content sang the national anthems of Brazil and the
United States, and Luanda Lynch shortly after sang the official
song of the Lavagem da Rua 46/ Cleansing of 46th street, "Aqui
Estou / Here I am".
After thanking the sponsors, the general director Edilberto Mendes
of the Brazilian Day and the public for their support, Silvana
reminded everyone about the importance of having a cultural event
such as this.
"The Lavagem da Rua 46/Cleansing of 46th street is more than a
festival, it functions as a reminder of our values and strengthens
the image of Brazil outside of Brazil, says Silvana Magda. ", here
being dressed in the traditional outfits of the Baianas,
symbolizing the exertion of peace and freedom, we are saying, yes,
it is possible for a better and more united world.
In its first year, the Lavagem sought to recognize the talent of
local Brazilian artists, and brought to the stage Dendê da Bahia
and his band, David Viera, Marivaldo Santos, Cidinha Oliveira,
Kiki da Bahia, Mestre Ombrinho, Joelma Batista, Silvia Silva, Ana
Fernandez, Jajá de Minas, Manhattan Samba, Samba Nation and
Carlinhos Veiga. The B57 band was not able to perform due some
technical problems but an invite was extended for them to perform
in the 2nd annual festival in 2009.
With the sponsorship of Suellen Christine Style, the Musa do
Brazilian Day was chosen. The jury was composed of Adriana Mello,
staff of the Brazilian Day, the journalist Fabricio Silva from
“The Brasilians” newspaper and the grand chef Jorge Lima of Sob’s
club and restaurant.
At the end of this highly competitive event, Ozana Stefano was
declared the winner based on her charisma, beauty, stage-presence
and modeling abilities.
With its educational, cultural and informative program, Lavagem
announced its arrival and established its presence among the great
festivals of summer in the big apple. The message was clear:
unification between people is possible.
The direction of the event gives special thanks to Sob's club and
restaurant, Joseph Giovanni- Mardi Grass Productions, volunteers
and employees of Brazilian Day and everyone else whose
contribution made this parade and festival possible.
