Brentwood street fest celebrates different cultures

Three blocks in Brentwood will fill with music and flavors from different cultures on Sunday at the fifth installment of the annual Brentwood Cultural Street Festival.

The celebration, which started as a festive gathering at a local park, has grown into a showcase of cultural diversity that attracted about 3,000 people last year, said organizer Margarita Espada, president of community group Teatro Yerbabruja.

This year the event will feature performances from Haitian drummers, a Latino salsa band, a Puerto Rican folk music ensemble, a Beatles tribute band and a Colombian jazz quartet.

There will also be art exhibits and activities for children, Espada said.

“We know that the artists as well as people who come will reflect Brentwood’s diversity,” Espada said. “The idea is to foster revitalization through art.”

The free festival starts at 11:30 a.m. and lasts until 6 p.m. It will take place at the intersection of Suffolk Avenue and Brentwood Road/Washington Avenue, extending westward for three blocks.