Brazilian Coffee, The Coffee Valley Festival, And Cafezinho: A Match Made In Beans!

By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Timothy_S._Collins]Timothy S. Collins
The Festival Vale do Cafe (The Coffee Valley Festival) is a ten-day celebration of classical music, Brazilian popular music, folkloric music, jongo, caxambu, capoeira, calango, can-verde, maculele, samba, choro, bossa nova, forro, Brazilian jazz, and orchestral works, among other music.
The event takes place from late July to early August each year. It is one of the world's best music festivals worth attending. The venue is in the Paraiba River Valley in Rio de Janeiro state. This is a beautiful region of rolling green hills, mild weather, blue skies and small towns.
The Festival Vale do Cafe was started about nine years ago by Cristina Braga, first harpist of the Symphonic Orchestra of Rio's Municipal Theater, and Turibio Santos, considered one of the best Brazilian classical guitarists alive. The seating capacity for the events is limited and tickets sell fast. The event is very successful and attracts many artists, famous people, tourists, and investors. The town of Vassouras has many colonial buildings and impressive estates on old coffee farms. In the 19th century, this valley was Brazil's coffee-growing center. Over time, coffee moved to other regions of Brazil that include Parana, Sao Paulo, Minas Gerais, and Bahia.
Vassouras is a town that is fast changing and becoming a world-class cultural destination. There are already many high-end hotels, villas and hotel-spas. Gourmet restaurants featuring Brazilian and international cuisine delicacies please the most demanding palates. Brazilian coffee is served at all hours to the delight of coffee and music lovers seeking the extra buzz in their Cafezinho servings. Cafezinho is a small but potent coffee serving that re-energizes the body for the never ending dance rhythms playing all around.
The Festival Vale do Cafe attracts the best names in music that perform all types of music styles in settings that are very picturesque and intimate. For example, there are events in the church and main square of Vassoura as well as in other area cities that are free to the public. The concerts staged at preserved coffee plantations or "Fazendas" in the region require admission fees well worth paying. These coffee plantations date back to the 19th century and have history anchored in slavery which Brazil abolished in 1889. They are very impressive estates with beautiful landscaping, tropical flowers and many varieties of trees. One of the most unusual trees is the Bombax, a tree without leaves covered by pink flowers. The leaves grow after the flowers die, a rather unusual phenomenon that makes this tree a mystery to many.
The Institute of Preservation and Development of the Paraiba Valley, PRESERVALE, promotes the restoration of the magnificent 19th century coffee mansions as close as possible to their original condition. Coffee estates include Fazenda Cachoeira do Mato Dentro; Fazenda Cachoeira Grange; Fazenda Secretario; Fazenda Mulungu Mermelho; Fazenda Santa Eufrasia; Fazenda Sao Fernando; and Fazenda Sao Luiz da Boa Sorte. Many of these plantation estates are open to the public. A few offer sleeping accommodations to visitors in the former slave quarters, an interesting experience.
Visiting the coffee plantations provides a unique first hand view of plantation lifestyle and a good understanding about the land, crop and people management challenges the plantation owners had. One of the best programs of the festival is the Cortejo de Tradicoes. This is a choreographed representation of regional musical and cultural traditions. Basically, it resembles a parade of Afro-Brazilian traditions performed simultaneously by many colorful groups. From a historical and musical perspective, this presentation alone proves how rich the Brazilian heritage is as a result of its multicultural population.
Brazilian Coffee, the Coffee Valley Festival, and plenty of cafezinho make the festival one to put on the travel planning calendar. For now, what about drinking a cup of smooth,delicious Brazilian Santos Bourbon specialty coffee?
Timothy ("Tim") S. Collins, the author, is called by those who know him "The Gourmet Coffee Guy."
He is an expert in article writing who has done extensive research online and offline in his area of expertise, coffee marketing, as well as in other areas of personal and professional interest.
Come visit the author's website: http://www.ourgourmetcoffee.com
Also visit: http://www.squidoo.com/thegourmetcoffeeguy-lensography
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Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Brazilian-Coffee,-The-Coffee-Valley-Festival,-And-Cafezinho:-A-Match-Made-In-Beans!&id=6638078] Brazilian Coffee, The Coffee Valley Festival, And Cafezinho: A Match Made In Beans!