For the people of Brazil, Carnival is the biggest event of the year. In large cities like Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paolo, Carnival is held annually. Carnival is celebrated right before Lent, like Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Listed below are some of the biggest carnivals in Brazil:
- Rio Carnival
Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is probably the most famous one in the world. A staple of Carnival in Rio is a samba dance competition between the samba schools. You can watch this samba contest at the Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucai which is in the middle of Rio de Janeiro. In addition to the samba dance contest, there is also a big street parade. The parade participants wear colorful clothes and through the streets of Rio de Janeiro while singing. Below are some of the most famous street parades:
- Banda de Ipanema, from Rua Gomes Carneiro to Praça Osório
- Bangalafumenga, in the Botanical Garden. or Parque do Flamengo
- Carmelitas, on Santa Teresa Street
- Bahian Carnival
Bahian Carnival is held annually in Bahia, Brazil. This carnival usually lasts 6 days, for 16 hours each day. The most famous performances in this carnival are Trios Elétricos and Bloco Afro. Bloco Afro is a percussion show featuring the rhythms of samba and reggae music. Trios Elétricos are modern music shows featuring renowned Brazilian singers. They are held on big trucks that drive around the city.
- Pernambuco Carnival
Recife and Olinda are two cities in the region of Pernambuco in northeast Brazil. The Pernambuco Carnival is held in both of these cities. In Recife, Carnival is much more music oriented than other cities. The Galo da Madrugada is a big parade, that turns into the largest bloco (Carnival block party) in Brazil. The peak of carnival here is on Monday night when people gather to perform a traditional slave ceremony. In Olinda, Carnival lasts a week and a half! It is synonymous with the parade of statues. Frevo music is what’s heard at this Carnival, rather than samba or reggae like most of the other carnivals.
- Sao Paulo Carnival
As in other cities, Sao Paulo has samba contests during Carnival. But because Sao Paulo is the birthplace of the samba, this is also the focus of the celebrations. The main days of Carnival in Sao Paolo are Friday and Saturday. Another unique thing about Carnival is that during it, some bars and other entertainment places require you to dress according to the Carnival theme.
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