Parades
Little
need be said about Carnival in Rio; the samba school
parade is world famous and everyone has seen pictures
in magazines and on television.
Every year, Rio hosts the world's largest festival -
Carnival. Many pre-Carnival festivities begin earlier,
while the closing event - the Parade of the Champions
- is on Saturday. The official opening is, when the
Mayor hands over the keys of the City to Carnival King
Momo and his Queen. This is the kick-off for festivities
that dance through the streets all over town, highlighted
by parades, contests and balls.
Downtown, the Sambadrome opens its gates to the Samba
School parades, beginning with Group B Samba Schools
on Friday. Saturday is set aside for Group A - the second
highest ranking, with the champion and runner-up promoted
to the Major League next year. Sunday and Monday are
the Major Samba School parades in the Special Group,
while Tuesday sees the Junior Samba Schools. Balls take
place every night throughout the week, together with
a variety of costume contests.
There are three major kinds of event during this period:
The Street Carnival - This is a great opportunity to
really be part of the joy and explosion of energy that
is carnival in Rio. This is not a group event that can
be scheduled, rather a chance for individuals to join
in with local street bands that parade through the different
areas of the city. For information on which bands leave
where, and when, check the newspaper. All you need take
is yourself and a lot of energy.
The Carnival Balls - These balls, once sophisticated,
have over the years lost their initial charm and become
mass events for vast numbers of men to ogle at semi-nude
women. They are not really recommended.
The Parade - This is the event most associated with
carnival in Rio. On two days the top ranking samba schools
present a stunning spectacle of colour, movement and
rhythm.
Attending the parade at the Sambodrome is certainly
unforgettable, though, unless you are completely nuts
about samba, a whole night can be a bit much.
Tickets for the tourist sector - with numbered seats
and access by bus - are very expensive. Bookings must
be made in advance and require pre-payment. The popular
stands are very crowded and not recommended for tourists.
During this period, hotels in Rio work only with package
bookings and pre-payment. Please, refer to our Packages.
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