Brazilian Theater Company Brings FESTA JUNINA to New York With Immersive All-Day Celebration

This June, New Yorkers can experience Brazil’s beloved Festa Junina without leaving the city. Group Dot BR, New York’s only Brazilian theater company, is bringing the country's iconic midyear celebration to life with “Opa! Festa Junina”, an immersive 8-hour event featuring music, dance, theater, art, food, and fun for all ages.

Often overshadowed internationally by Brazil’s famous Carnival, Festa Junina is a massive cultural festival celebrated throughout June across the country. Rooted in both Catholic and rural traditions, it features bonfires, forró music, quadrilha folk dances, themed costumes, and an abundance of traditional foods.

Opa! Festa Junina will take place on June 8, offering a full lineup of performances and interactive experiences. Highlights include:

• Live music from acclaimed Brazilian acts Mambembé (with guest Marcos Costa) and Forró in the Dark, plus DJ sets from Greg Caz, Gaspar Muniz, and Tietta, spinning Brazilian beats.

• Dance lessons and performances, including a crash course in forró and a guided quadrilha led by Sabrina Evangelista, with a full intro class by Forró New York.

• A mock wedding and Quadrilha Queen and King competition, hosted by drag artist Pietra Parker.

• A theatrical twist: a comedic battle between the goddess Juno and São João over the true origin of the celebration.

• A live Bumba Meu Boi puppet, traditional Brazilian games, and visual arts installations curated by Angelica Walker Projects.

• Correio Elegante, a Brazilian matchmaking ritual where guests send sweet or flirty messages via Santo Antônio, the matchmaking saint.

• A menu of traditional Festa Junina foods, including canjica, paçoca, pé de moleque, and more.

The event runs 3–11 PM, with family-friendly programming until 6 PM. Children under 12 enter for free when accompanied by a guardian. The party becomes 21+ after 6 PM.

Opa! Festa Junina is supported in part by the NYSCA-A.R.T./New York Creative Opportunity Fund and also serves as a fundraiser for Group Dot BR’s upcoming theatrical production, The Passion According to Janair.