Austin's Carnaval Brasiliero was full of naked boobies—excuse us for noticing.

The yearly Brazilian festival took place at the Palmer Events Center on a cold night, but that didn't put a damper on skimpy outfits. Sequins and feathers were the rule, not the exception at this event where men and women showed off their costuming skill. We saw a body-painted tigress, covered from head to toe in orange and black stripes; a bronze man with a shimmering tree sprouting from his head as he held up a similarly polished apple and said he was the forbidden tree; and a very tall Kermit-the-frog headdress, all within the first 20 minutes of arriving.

The organizers of this year's fest did a great job pulling together performances by dancers and musicians. A drum circle in the center of the Palmer turned out to be a parade-style exhibition of dancers, musicians,  and skeleton and alien puppets, all outfitted in what looked like tributes to the Dallas Cowboys and homages to outer space at once. "I'd like to see the festival take on more of a Texas Hispanic flair," said one attendee. "The aliens are kind of nondescript and work with all cultures." The crowd and performers were diverse in culture and age group, and one very pregnant dancer reminded us that the celebration was not just a voyeur/exhibitionist extravaganza, but a space in which to let loose and enjoy life.

We heard steel drums throughout the event, but the energetic singer who took the stage with a 10-piece band could hardly be heard at all. Still, Brazilian revelers sang along to "Cidade Maravilhosa" as a conga line formed in the crowd and capoeira circles formed nearby.

How could this party have been any better? The crowd mixed well, the bartenders mixed well, and the air was thick with good vibes. Adding a parade that leads to the Palmer might make it more fun, but dancing down the street in a bikini in 30-degree weather may not work out so well.

Photos by Chantel Clopine.

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