| Articles of Interest Carnival in Rio
What is carnival? The answer can, and does, fill doctoral theses. With its Catholic origins of pre-Lenten hedonism it now incorporates a wide array of traditions that have been aggregated over the years. The festival varies from region to region, and town to town, but it is the duty of all good Brazilians – and visitors – to get out in the street and party. Just within Rio de Janeiro, there is a wide variety of ways to celebrate.
The official carnival celebrations last for four days in February or March but the fun really begins in October or November when the samba schools begin competitions for the year’s theme song. From then on, rehearsals are held at their home base (quadra) – generally in neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city – where the winning song is played continuously as fans eat, drink and sing along. Beginning in early December, the public can attend the major samba schools’ technical rehearsals at the Sambódromo every Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 7pm and 9pm (see Calendar of Events for details).
The carnival celebration that takes place in the Sambódromo is the most publicized internationally and is considered by some to be a festival for the elite. This grand spectacle is the result of a full year of planning, and many man-hours of sewing and gluing sequins and glitter. Thousands of spectators fill the stands to cheer on the stereotypical “mulatas” samba-ing down the avenue in their revealing costumes. Sadly, what was once a celebration for the populace now involves expensive tickets and corporate-sponsored ringside parties where famous people from the world over eat caviar and sip champagne.
by carnivalservice
The Sambódromo celebration is only one of many options to enjoy the festivities. In recent years the traditional street carnival has been experiencing a renaissance in Rio de Janeiro. Many neighborhoods now host small acoustic bands – blocos – playing marchinhas (traditional carnival songs, many from as far back as the 1800s). The musicians are trailed by enthusiastic crowds, dancing and singing along as the vendors weave through them and keep the revelers supplied with beer. Some of the blocos have a theme: clowns on stilts or a water truck which cools the masses. There are even blocos for dogs, children and gringos!
Bola Preta, one of the oldest blocos, draws crowds in the tens of thousands to their Saturday morning (9am) parade downtown. The trio electrico (a truck on top of which the band rides) blasts carnival music to the masses who surround the vehicle for miles in every direction. No one seems to tire of the same songs and the crowd’s voice fills the neighborhood. Black and white polka dots – in honor of this particular bloco’s name, black dot – are de rigeur and their application extends well beyond clothes to hair and body paint. Be warned, this event is extremely crowded and, while fights are infrequent, it can get rather uncomfortable.
Rio Branco is the scene of the “carnival of the people”. This is the democratic incarnation of the Sambódromo where entry is free and the line between the parading blocos and the fans is blurred. During all four nights of Carnival, families, foreigners and folks from all neighborhoods, rich and poor, sing and cheer the blocos as they fill the canyon of buildings along Avenida Rio Branco. Groups from a variety of diverse neighborhoods show off their choreography, song and costumes which, while lacking some of the grandeur of the Sambódromo, certainly make up for it with their enthusiasm.
Listen to our podcast, An Insider's Guide to Carnival.
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