Have you ever wondered, what in the world is Carnival really? The Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is a world famous festival held before Lent every year and considered the biggest carnival in the world with two million people per day on the streets. The first festivals of Rio date back to 1723. If you’ve never experienced Carnival across the world, discover a mere taste of what you’re missing out on below…
The typical Rio carnival parade is filled with revelers, floats and adornments from numerous samba schools which are located in Rio (more than 200 approximately, divided into 5 leagues/ divisions.) As the parade is taking place in the Sambadrome and the balls are being held in the Copacabana Palace and beach, many of the carnival participants are at other locations. Street festivals are very common during carnival and are highly populated by the locals. Elegance and extravagance are usually left behind, but music and dancing are still extremely common. Anyone is allowed to participate in the street festivals. Bandas and bondos are very familiar with the street carnival especially because it takes nothing to join in on the fun except to jump in. Street parades, blocos and bandas take place throughout the city of Rio during Carnival. There can be more than 300 bandas taking place at any given point in time. While the biggest street party takes place right outside the Sambadrome, the largest organized street dance is typically found on Cinelândia Square in Rio’s Centro. In 2012, more than 2 million revelers took to the streets of Rio de Janeiro to participate in the Cordão do Bola Preta bloco.
J’Ouvert
Each year at 4 am on Monday, Fuelled by exhilaration and the energetic rhythms of soca music, revellers take to the streets for the predawn party of J’Ouvert (from the French ‘jour ouvert’ or ‘day open’) it’s a celebration of darker elements of the island’s folklore & history. Bathed in chocolate, mud, oil and paint, depicting devils, demons, monsters etc.. J’Ouvert is a time for loosening of inhibitions.
Carnival Monday
Daytime, the J’Ouvert clears and massive costumed bands of “Pretty Mas” players flood the street with riotous colour. Everyone takes to the street “jumping up” and “wining” to the sound of soca blaring from speakers piled on music trucks. Carnival Monday is only a “warm-up” for Carnival Tuesday.
Carnival Tuesday
Carnival Tuesday begins at 8 a.m. Masqueraders in full costume, ready and impatiently awaiting their chance to strut in front of the television cameras as bands cross the main judging points. Each band has its own historical, mythological or tropical concept. Bands are judged in 3 categories; small, medium and large. The Champion Band is crowned Masquerade Band of the Year.
You may have missed out on the Carnival fun this year, but don’t worry, next year Carnival lands on March 1st 2014 – which means it’s plenty of time to prepare for a trip on next year’s action…
