Abstract
This article addresses the historical transformations that have taken place in the Brazilian Day Festival—held annually in Manhattan, New York—over the past decades. Since the mid-1980s, when it was first promoted, this event has accompanied the changes of the city’s Brazilian immigrant community. Currently it is a large-scale event that represents a civic celebration, a block party, an ethnic street fair, and/or a musical concert. It is also a festival that encompasses other cultural activities during the same weekend, such as the Cleansing of 46th Street. The fieldwork for this study was carried out between 2009 and 2010, and the data were collected through historical and ethnographic research, including 2,560 different newspaper sections (articles, editorials, interviews, advertising, etc.), 18 in-depth interviews, and participant observation at Brazilian cultural centres, events, clubs, bars, and restaurants. In this article, I argue that mega-events are key elements for constructing powerful images and symbols associated with national identities.
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