Brazilica Carnival Queen Aad King Competition Returns This Week

Brazilica returns to the city in glorious fashion this week, and anticipation is building for one of the festival's most popular events - The Carnival Queen and (new for 2019) Carnival King Competition.

The event will be taking place at Revolución de Cuba at Liverpool's Albert Dock this Friday, 12 July.

Hosted by The Guide and former Capital FM and Juice FM presenter Gemma Cutting, this free event - which is open to the public, is set to be hotter than ever before with 15 entrants all vying for the coveted crowns.

Revolución de Cuba will be alight with the fiery samba routines which promise even more excitement than ever, as the competitors perform their most glittering routines in stunning costumes of only the brightest colours.

This year will see 13 Carnival Queen hopefuls battle it out for samba supremacy, with contestants traveling from all over the UK to compete. This year's entrants include Emma Kitchen, Esther Hernandez, Evelyne Eboa-Joss, Fabiola Kouadio, Harriet Alice, Jamary André, Oalafile Brobbel, Patricia Paciletti, Roena Chioma Ezuma, Sarah Matelart, Sophia Best, Thali Bento and Vicky Conviver.

Plus, new for 2019, organisers are delighted to introduce the Carnival King category. Battling it out to be crowned the very first Carnival King are Chirag Goyate and Weiyi Yao.

With an abundance of samba talent on display a panel of distinguished judges face the task of narrowing down the many hopefuls to just one queen and one king.

This year's panel includes Kellie MacPherson (former Paraiso Samba School Queen and samba instructor); Rodrigo Correa (passista instructor and samba dancer); Wendy Okoli (Brazilica Carnival Queen 2017 and Princess 2016); and Cllr Anna Rothery (Liverpool City Councillor).

Last year's Carnival Queen Katucha Bento will be ready to crown this year's champions.

The deserving winners will find themselves at the very forefront of the extravagant event that is the night-time Carnival Parade the following day. The parade will give festival goers and passersby an opportunity to taste the real flavours of Brazil with bands from across the UK and overseas performing in the streets and lighting up Liverpool with a blaze of Brazilian samba.

Entry is free and the Carnival Queen and King Competition is not only the perfect way to get into the spirit for the rest of the Brazilica Festival, but an explosive start to a weekend which brings the whole city to life with colour, music and samba rhythms.

Be sure to get down to Revolución de Cuba and experience an authentic Brazilian vibe here in Liverpool and witness who takes crowning glory in this year's Carnival Queen and King Competition.