On June 24th, the city of Nice will host the famous Yémanja Festival. 500 artists will march in tribute to the Goddess of the sea and femininity.
This cultural and festive event, rooted in the Afro-Brazilian Cult, will bring together all Portuguese-speaking communities.
Organized by the Brazilian cultural association Brasuca-Show, this unique and original event will enliven the streets of Old Nice, offering locals a unique opportunity to discover and share Brazilian culture.
Festivities will begin on the evening of Friday, June 22, with a Mass for Our Lady of Conception celebrated by Father Florini at St. Pierre d’Arènes Church in Nice.
On Saturday, June 23, a workshop will introduce various Brazilian dances set to percussion sounds and will offer an initiation to capoeira.
On Sunday, June 24, a parade orchestrated by Samba reggae and Maraketu percussionists (a rhythm from the Northeast), followed by Brazilian and Bahian dancers, capoeira artists, and the Sons of Gandhi (a traditional group from Bahia) will march to Afro-Latin rhythms.
Folk groups from Portugal, Cape Verde, the Antilles, Cuba, Angola, and Senegal will join the parade.
Subsequently, a ceremony will be held at Castel Beach, under the blessing of Father Florini in honor of Yémanja, where floral offerings will be placed and white roses cast into the sea according to Brazilian tradition.
The festival will close with a performance by the 100% Brazilian group “I LOVE SAMBA,” which will take place in the evening at Sezamo, accompanied by the Brasuca-Show troupe.
