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Rio de Janeiro´s carnival is one of the planet´s liveliest shows. On the Friday previous to the event, Río´s Major symbolically hands the King Momo the keys to the city, a character considered the figurehead of the carnival. This ceremony is the official beginning of the worlds most famous 5 day long party.

Samba Parades

Avenues and streets fill with lights and colors, children dress in bright costumes and the throngs of locals dance to the rhythms of Samba. There are several major Samba schools in Rio, organized in 5 divisions. The first three divisions perform their parades in the Sambódromo (a Samba stadium). The best school from the inferior division performs on Thursday.  Group 1, formed by 16 schools, parades on Friday and Saturday and then the 16 schools from the Special Group perform on Sunday and Monday, 8 of them during the evening. The order of appearance is determined by a draw, so both days are equally good to watch the parades.

The 12 schools from Group 2 perform on Tuesday. Every school features from 3000-5000 participants, divided into 40 sections and more than 30 floats. The parades are limited to 90 minutes and points are lost if it takes any longer. The 10 selected winners, 5 from the Special Group and Group 1, do a celebration parade the following Saturday evening in the Sambódromo. The Third and Fourth Divisions perform on Rio Branco Avenue, probably a bit less spectacular but free.

Every school chooses a theme, composes a Samba song, and designs costumes and floats related to the theme. The judges have critiria to assess each school and the best get promoted to a higher division and the poorest are relegated to a lower position, just like in a football league. The competition is rather intense and fierce. There is a money prize for the winners, financed by entry funds. It is possible to join a Samba school if you get to Río before the Carnival.

The Carnival´s Parade is not meant to be a tourist attraction; it is just the result of the community´s year-long efforts, largely from the city´s poorest districts. In order to understand the traditions of every school, the significance of the different performances during the parade and the carnival as a whole, it is recommended to visit the Carnival Museum in the Sambódromo, though small it features a great deal of photographs and the English-speaking personnel there are highly informative. Access is on Frei Caneca Street, Tel.: 293-9996; Tuesday to Sunday from 11am-5pm; free of charge.

The Sambódromo is located on Marqués de Sapucaí Street, Cidade Nova, not far from downtown. It is 600 m long and has a seating capacity to accommodate 60.000 people. Designed by Oscar Niemeyer, it is not only a venue for sports events, conferences and concerts during the rest of the year, but it also hosts a public education center for nearly 5000 children.

The parades in the Sambódromo begin at 7pm and last around 12 hours. The doors, not clearly marked, open at 6pm. There are different types of seats: "cadeiras", at floor level, terraces or "arquibancadas" and boxes ("camarotes").

The best boxes, reserved for tourists and celebrities, costs around US $1000. The other seats are closer to the action but you may have to fight to get to the front. Seats and boxes for tourists offer a better view, sectors 4, 7 and 11 are among the favorite, not being the case of 6 and 13, though with more room they are located at the end. The terraces, although a bit more uncomfortable, can hold the most fans crawling over one another, but this is the real spot to experience the local enthusiasm.  

Taxis to the Sambódromo are negotiable (around US 10) and are easily available to return at the main entrances; the closest subway is "Praça 11", normally used by Samba school members already clad in their colorful costumes. The main bus and sub routes work for the entire carnival night but on an irregular schedule. 

The majority of the Samba schools admit a certain number of foreigners, who usually pay double price for their costumes (starting at US 100); this money contributes to fund the school´s poorest members. It is necessary to be in Río at least 2 weeks before the Carnival for the purpose of joining a Samba school. If you speak Portuguese, you may phone the schools directly or you may be introduced by someone from the hotel or a tour guide. 

It is important to be on time for the rehearsals, show respect for the section leader and get soaked in the event´s competitive spirit. For those with the energy and dedication, it will surely be an unforgettable experience. The "Concentration Area", where the schools line up before the parade, is an excellent spot to watch the chaotic preparations for the night ahead; people who can´t afford paying a ticket, come here to see the costumes on President Vargas Avenue.

All the schools show a preview of their performance in their own neighborhoods, usually a week before the carnival. It is worth seeing this, admission fee is about US $1 and photos are allowed. Carrying valuables is not recommended.

Carnaval Balls

Several galas and official events take place during the week of carnival, as well as non-official ones. Exhibits and contests come to their climax on Tuesday and there is a wide choice of programs for those in search of entertainment.

Río´s elegant balls vary from the most sophisticated to more casual fares. Most of the clubs and hotels organize at least one competition. Copacabana Palace Hotel offers a sophisticated expensive feast (around US 250) and a very well organized parade on a brightly illuminated terrace.

Two of the most famous balls are: the Red and Black dance on Friday and the Gay ball on Tuesday. Prices range from US $15 per person; US $100 per table for 4 and US $750 for a private box. It is wise to get information at the tour desks and offices, which have a full list of performances and events.

Other Information

Expensive hotels offer Carnival Breakfasts, all of them very good: Caesar Park (in Ipanema) is highly recommended for the beach sunrise view from the terrace. Visitors willing to see the Carnival should book accommodation well in advance.

If you cannot make it to the Carnival, rehearsals take place in different places from November on. For example, in Portela School on 81 Arruda Cámara Street, Madureira, every Saturday afternoon. Beija Flor, one of the most outstanding Samba schools, rehearses on Monday evenings in Urca, halfway to the Sugar Loaf Mountain.

Another event, less agitated than the Carnival but very picturesque, is "Oi lemanjá" Festival on New Year´s Eve. The people who practice African cults gather on the beaches of Copacabana, Ipanema and Leblon, singing and dancing around a fire while doing their offerings to the gods. At midnight on Copacabana Beach, there is always a fireworks show that attracts a huge crowd in front of the Copacabana Palace and Meridien hotels. At this time some small vessels are thrown in the water as sacrifices to lemanjá.    

"San Sebastián" Festival, Patron Saint of Río, is celebrated with a procession in the evening of January 20th, from the Capuchinhos Church in Tijuca, up to São Sebastião Cathedral. This same night, there is another festival at Caboclo´s Monument, in Santa Tereza.