A new Ashland World Music Festival event! Join Exá (formerly Os Alquimistas) at the downtown Ashland Plaza for an authentic Brazilian Bloco de Carnaval.

A Bloco de Carnaval closes down the street (check), has a processing percussion line (check) that arrives somewhere with a stage, with a full band playing songs (check).

The AWMF Bloco de Carnaval will start at the end of the final set of the Park Performances (5:15 pm) with a samba percussion line processing from Lithia Park Butler Bandshell to the Ashland downtown Plaza where the incredible Brazilian music group Exá (formerly Os Alquimistas) will perform variations of samba and other Afro-Brazilian rhythms, including a few songs from a new movement in Brazil called “New MPB!”

Help us kick off this new event by bringing your best shaker, cow bell, tambourine, clappers, bells, etc. to the Lithia Park Butler Bandshell and join us for the samba percussion line procession from the bandshell to the plaza.

This event will close North Main Street to thru-traffic between the hours of 5 and 7 p.m. on Sunday, May 28.