Belo Horizonte, chosen as the headquarters for Team GB’s Olympic and Paralympic delegations for the Rio 2016 Games, has an extra means for getting the locals’ “uai” even closer to the visitors’ “why”.
The city is hosting its first ‘British Week’. Up until Sunday, a variety of activities and festivals will be celebrating British culture and the ties between the United Kingdom and Brazil.
Amongst the week’s many attractions, there are two which stand out as deserving special attention:
BEATLE WEEK
The 5th edition of Belo Horizonte’s Beatle Week, which began on Wednesday, takes its inspiration from International Beatle Week, an annual event in The Fab Four’s home city of Liverpool. Over the course of five days, a selection of BH’s cultural centre’s will play host to 22 separate music shows, with performances from successful regional artists, as well as popular Brazilian stars and international ones. The John Lennon cover artist Gary Gibson and the bands Hocus Pocus, Nowhere Band and Anthology; as well as the Black Gold Orchestra (who have dedicated shows and CDs entirely to Beatles hits) are all part of the programme. Belo Horizonte Beatle Week counts on support and collaboration from the Government of the State of Minas Gerais.
One of this year’s new features is the appearance of Ouro Minas as one of the stages. The main ‘Beatle Countdown’, starting Friday night and going on until the early hours of Saturday (10pm-4am) will take place here, with shows from artists such as George Harrison Tribute, Vix Beatles, Blue Beatles and The Fab Fakes.
Beatle Week will open this year at the Bradesco Theatre, with the concert Minas & The Beatles, featuring the likes of Cláudio Venturini, Paulinho Pedra Azul, Márcio Greyck, Trio Amaranto, Túlio Mourão, Tunai and Wilson Sideral.
When: 3 to 7 August.
Further information at http://www.bhbeatleweek.com.
INTERNATIONAL BEER AND CULTURE FESTIVAL
This weekend we can look forward to the second edition of the International Beer and Culture Festival (FICC), which this year pays tribute to the United Kingdom. As well as plenty of drink, the event will bring together musicians, market stalls, circus acts, speeches, cookery, food trucks, a children’s play area and a Beer Garden, designed to be as welcoming as possible, so as to encourage visitors to stay and enjoy the beers on offer and specially prepared dishes.
Among the attractions will be the Nowhere Band, from Chile, and The Buitres Rock Band, from Argentina, who will play a special show for the English. As far as Brazilian bands go, there will be appearances from Tianastácia and Nasi, the singer from Ira!, as well as Seu Madruga, Led III, Glasgow9 and Poison Gas. This year’s FICC will feature roughly 200 different beers, with a focus on the Brits.
When: 6 & 7 August.
Further information at http://www.facebook.com/festivalficc/.
