This year’s Brazilica Festival, which came to a climax last Saturday (19 July), has been hailed a scorching success by organisers and festival goers alike. Organisers Liverpool Carnival Company presented a tremendous 9-day programme of events across the city leading up to the main Carnival Day on Saturday.

Grey skies and summer showers didn’t dampen spirits as crowds lined the city centre streets for a spectacular Carnival Parade on Saturday evening. Dancers and Samba bands from the UK, Brazil and Europe took part in the incredible Parade, filling the streets of Liverpool with colour, music and an amazing atmosphere.

The Juice FM Main Stage at Williamson Square which was managed by Orb Events was also packed throughout the day and into the evening, as locals and visitors – including many from Brazil – enjoyed Brazilian bands, beats, and tasty treats!

There were also some amazing events leading up to the main Carnival Day to get audiences in the samba spirit. The heat was on at Alma De Cuba on Friday 18 July with the ever popular Carnival Queen Competition.

There was a fantastic turnout for the event which saw local girl Corina Rotheram take the crown after fighting off competition from the other four fabulous contestants.

Other pre-Carnival Day events included a Headdress Making Workshop at The International Slavery Museum on 12 & 13 July where families made their own show stopping headdresses and caught a glimpse at Saturday’s glittering carnival costumes.

The Brazilian Film Programme certainly whet audience appetites in preparation for the feast of Brazilian entertainment throughout the week. The Brink, Parr St, screened the great Estomago and Tropicalia alongside documentary film City of God: 10 years later at FACT.

The Kazimier was the place to be on Saturday evening as it closed this year’s festival; hosting a Brazilian spectacular of a closing party with a special guest DJ set from Patrick Forge. Samba vibes, Latin music and dance took the party into the early hours of Sunday morning and proved to be the perfect send off for Brazilica, at least for another year.

Maeve Morris of Liverpool Carnival Company said:

“I was absolutely delighted with 2014’s Brazilica programme, not only Carnival Day but the whole programme of events across the 9 days. The parade, as ever, attracted huge numbers and there was an incredible atmosphere across the city as the crowds cheered on all the dancers and bands taking part, the amount of people that came was phenomenal. It just proves that come rain or shine Brazilica will always bring in the crowds, there is something on offer for all and it is wonderful to see the amount of people that get involved and come along to show their support. I am so proud of everyone involved for all of their hard work and all that is left to do now is start thinking ahead to Brazilica 2015.”

Liverpool Carnival Company are now looking ahead to next year, for which plans have already begun, every year they set the bar higher in their efforts to improve the festival and always succeed in finding ways to bring it back bigger and better, so get set for another Brazil-iant event in 2015.