Articles of Interest

Carnival Activities in Rio de Janeiro

While Fat Tuesday (February 20) is the real day of carnival, the festivities in Rio de Janeiro begin several weeks before-hand and while the restrictive behavior of Lent should begin on Ash Wednesday (February 21), blocos continue to revel in the streets until Sunday, February 25.

Here is a list of some of the more popular street bloco parades:

Sat, Feb 10

Event: Simpatia É Quase Amor (Affection Is Almost Love). This is one of the main Ipanema-based blocos and the 2007 carnival is their 23rd. Colors: yellow and lavender. Meeting spot: Praça General Osório, Ipanema; 5pm

Event: Gigantes da Lira (Giants of the trapeze). This bloco has a circus theme. The clowns, jugglers and other circus acts are fun for kids as well as adults. Meeting spot: Praça General Glicério, in the Laranjeiras neighborhood; 5pm



Sun, Feb 11

Event: Suvaco de Cristo (Christ’s Underarm). Meeting spot: Bar Jóia, on the corner of Rua Jardim Botânico and Rua Faro in the Jardim Botânico neighborhood. Parade moves down the Rua Jardim Botânico; 1pm (this time is only an approximation. The schedule is not announced in order to avoid the enormous crowds that overfilled the neighborhood last year. It could be later, it could be earlier).

Event: Afro-Reggae Bloco Rehearsal Show. The Afro-reggae carnival band will be playing—officially a rehearsal. The group, featured in the documentary Favela Rising, is part of a social project formed to use music and performance to draw young people away from the dangerous drug trade in the wake of 1993 massacre in the favela Vigário Geral. Spend the afternoon in the lovely seaside park watching the African-based moves of dancers performing to the beats of the drum corps. You may just be moved to join in! Location: Parque Garota de Ipanema  -a small park at the Arpoador point between Copacabana and Ipanema. Access from Rua Francisco Otaviano or the end of Avenida Viera Souto (Posto 7). 4:00pm

Wednesday, February 14

Event: Esse é o bom, Mas Ninguém Sabe  (This is the good one but no one knows it). Colors: blue and yellow. Meeting spot: Quadra dos Guararapes in the Cosme Velho neighborhood; 6pm



Thursday, February 15

Event: Escravos da Mauá (the slaves of Mauá). The group's name is a reference to Praça Mauá as the center of the slave trade in Rio de Janeiro. Meeting spot: Praça São Francisco da Prainha, near Praça Mauá, downtown. The parade goes toward Avenida Rio Branco; 7pm



Friday, February 16

Event: Vem ni mim que sou Facinha (Come to me: I'm easy). This is one of the blocos which does not parade—the party stays put in Praça General Osório. Meeting spot: Rua Prudente de Moraes, 10, Ipanema; 5pm



Sunday, February 18

Event: Carnival street parade of blocos from all over Rio. This is the free, low-key version of the Sambodromo event. Location: Avenida Rio Branco (downtown). Get there early and you can have a drink and a snack in the street while you engage in some pretty good people watching on the canyon-like Avenida Rio Branco. 8pm (this time is an approximation).


Monday, February 19

Event: Carnival street parade of blocos from all over Rio. This is the free, low-key version of the Sambodromo event. Location: Avenida Rio Branco (downtown). Get there early and you can have a drink and a snack in the street while you engage in some pretty good people watching on the canyon-like Avenida Rio Branco. 9pm (this time is an approximation).



Tuesday, February 20 (Fat Tuesday)

Event: Carnival street parade of blocos from all over Rio. This is the free, low-key version of the Sambodromo event. Location: Avenida Rio Branco (downtown). Get there early and you can have a drink and a snack in the street while you engage in some pretty good people watching on the canyon-like Avenida Rio Branco. 9pm (this time is an approximation).

For more information about Carnival in Rio de Janeiro click here or check our Calendar of Events.