The seaside will take on a flavour of Brazil as hundreds of samba performers descend on Brighton and Hove for a weekend extravaganza.

More than 20 samba bands from across Europe will take part in the event, called Samba Encounter, which takes place on the last weekend of the Brighton Festival.

The programme of events, funded by Brighton and Hove's where else campaign to become European Capital Of Culture in 2008, will include a samba conference, workshops, indoor performances and a spectacular parade along Brighton seafront.

Samba Encounter is thought to be the first event of its kind in the UK to embrace and celebrate the musical genre.

Samba originally came from Brazil, where it evolved during hundreds of years from influences including European music, native Amerindian culture and the music of West and Central African peoples who were taken to Brazil as slaves.

Samba Encounter is organised by Brighton-based Carnival Collective, one of the UK's best-known samba organisations.

Also taking part will be Stomp, Dhol Foundation, Sambatuc, Bristol School of Samba, Manchester School Of Samba, Edinburgh School Of Samba, London School Of Samba, Sambangra, Samba Galex, Samba ya Bamba.

The weekend will start with a conference for samba bands and organisers from all over Britain on May 24.

This will be followed by workshops on samba music, dance, costumes and decorations at the Brighthelm Centre, Ray Tindle Centre, City College Brighton and Hove and Brighton Youth Theatre on May 25.

Tickets are selling out fast for the 39 classes, which include body percussion, dhol drumming, advanced samba batucada, hip hop street moves, introduction to samba and making masks of the Orisha.

On the Saturday evening, Samba Encounter will take over the Corn Exchange in Church Road with a concert and dance event featuring Brighton's Carnival Collective, Cardiff-based Samba Galez, Parisian troupe Sambutec and French samba DJ Mr Bongo from 8.30pm.

The highlight of the weekend will be a carnival procession along Brighton seafront, involving more than a dozen samba organisations and open to all.

Organiser Daniel Bernstein, of Carnival Collective, said: "It's a tremendous buzz for Carnival Collective to be organising our first Samba Encounter of the largest gathering of Samba bands this country has seen."

To book tickets for the workshops and showcase call the Dome Box Office on 01273 709709.

Samba Encounter organisers have two pairs of tickets for the showcase at the Corn Exchange on May 25 to give away to readers of The Argus.

All you have to do is answer this question: Which South American city hosts the world's most famous carnival?

Send your answers on a postcard to Adrian Weston, Samba Encounter competition, Raft PR, 45 Springfield Road, Brighton, BN1 6DF, by April 26.