Upcoming winter/spring events:

While the summer's big events and festivals are being finalized, there are still plenty of exciting happenings to get us through this cold winter! Here are a few events to warm you up:

Carnaval Brasileiro (Brazilian Carnival): March 8, 2014. Twin Cities-based band Beira Mar Brasil (led by Robert Everest) hosts a Carnival bash to rival a night in Rio with over 80 singers, drummers, and dancers! For this celebration of the holiday that claims the world's largest party, singer and samba dancer extraordinaire Dandara returns, along with Brazilian percussion ensembles, professional samba dancers, a Brazilian martial arts group, true Brazilian drinks, carnival masks, and face and body painting (just like in Rio!). More at carnavalbrasileiro.org

Park Square presents Cyrano: March 14 - April 6, 2014. An unabashed romance set in the 1640s, with a swashbuckling hero, a case of hidden identity, and a passionate love story. Cyrano will satisfy any theatergoer regardless of age or gender. More at parksquaretheatre.org.

Jazz Noir Live Broadcast from The Dakota: April 27, 2014. For those who long for "the grand old days" of radio, Jazz88 KBEM presents the second installment of Jazz Noir, an original radio drama series complete with live voice actors and musicians in front of a studio audience. There will be two performances--one at 5 p.m. and another at 9 p.m.--and the later performance will be broadcast live on Jazz 88.5 FM. More at jazz88.mpls.k12.mn.us.

Festival of Nations: May 1 - 4, 2014. The Festival of Nations is the largest multi-cultural event in Minnesota. Come and join us as we celebrate over 45 ethnic groups showing how we can have peace among the people at the Festival of Nations at the St. Paul RiverCentre. The Festival offers the opportunity to develop an appreciation and understanding, rather then just a tolerance of the cultures of others and helps educate people as we build towards the future together. More at festivalofnations.com.

Twin Cities Jazz Festival: June 26 – 28, 2014. The Twin Cities Jazz Festival holds its 16^th annual event this June in downtown St. Paul. Recognized as one of the region’s premiere music festivals, the Twin Cities Jazz Festival is a free, three-day festival with performances on three public stages in Mears Park, as well as at dozens of local jazz clubs. Stay tuned for the headliners announcment... More at twincitiesjazzfestival.com

What's going on in 2012

• Twin Cities-based band Beira Mar Brasil hosts Carnaval Brasileiro 2012 (Brazilian Carnival) at the Fine Line Music Cafe on Friday, Feb. 24 and Saturday, Feb. 25 at 9 p.m. with an all-ages family matinee on Saturday at 2 p.m.
• Park Square Theatre presents three public performances of their annual production of The Diary of Anne Frank on March 1 and 3 at 7:30 p.m. and March 31 at 1 p.m.
• The Casswell Sisters perform with the JazzMN Orchestra at the Hopkins Center for Performing Arts on Saturday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m.
• Congratulations to TigerLion Arts, Minnesota Boychoir, Puppet Farm Arts, and Circus Juventas on selling out the final week of The Dragons Are Singing Tonight!

Read the full press releases for these events here >>