By Harry Kane

On Saturday the Brasileiro Festival at Union Square brought Brazilians from around the area to meet the local community and highlight their music and food. “It’s part of our arts union series,” said Rachel Strutt, Program Manager at the Somerville Arts Council. “This series is about promoting cultural and economical development at Union Square. So, that means we want to celebrate culture and contribute to stimulate the local economy.”

Brazilians make up the largest immigrant group in Somerville.  “There’s so many Brazilians, so it just made sense for us to include a Brazilian festival within this series,” said Strut. A mixture of Samba, soccer, barbeque, theater, and face painting made for some fun in the sun.

Brasileiro music performed by Grooversity, a world-drumming project started by Marcus Santos, infused the festival with good vibes. Grooversity promotes drumming for social change. “We basically give an opportunity to the youth to learn any kind of instrument so that they can get off the streets, off of drugs and have an opportunity to succeed in life through music because we believe that music can change the world,” said Karolina Nunes, Coordinator for Grooversity.

Video by Harry Kane