Help Vavá Samba bring Brazil's biggest Carnival energy to Fiesta DC 2026!

This September, Washington DC gets a taste of Rio — and Vavá United School of Samba is leading the charge.

Brazil is the featured country at Fiesta DC 2026! This is the largest Latin American cultural celebration in the United States, and it's the first time that Brazil is in the spotlight. First held in 1971, Fiesta DC honors every Latino nation through food, music, dance, and tradition.

This year, Vavá has been chosen to organize Brazil's entire presence at the festival and parade on September 26–27, 2026.

That means we're bringing it ALL: live entertainment acts from Brazil and across the US, a food vendor, booths from Brazilian businesses and artisans, and a parade that will stop traffic. Think grand marshals, samba, Afro-Brazilian dance, capoeira, carimbó, frevo, forró, a full bateria, and a vibrant Carnival float built around this year's theme: sports.

Vavá United School of Samba is a DC-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit modeled after the legendary samba schools of Brazil. We've proudly marched in the Fiesta DC parade since 2015 — but this year is bigger than ever, and we need your help to pull it off.

Your donation covers:

Float construction · decorations · vehicle and flatbed rentals · photography · costumes · travel and accommodations for out-of-town performers · and more

Our weekly classes and performances cover the basics, but making Fiesta DC the best Brazil showcase it's ever seen takes a village. Every contribution is tax-deductible, and every dollar goes directly toward putting on a celebration worthy of the moment.

Follow our journey on Instagram — @Vavasamba · @BrazilFiestaDC · @FiestaDC — and on TikTok at @Brazil.Fiesta.DC.