The Rio Carnival is the first that comes to mind when we are talking about the Carnival. It is considered the biggest Carnival globally, with approximately two million people per day on the street. With that amount of people, the Rio Carnival is simply the most incredible show on earth.
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Rio Festivals at it’s finest!
As the name suggests, the festival is held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. More specifically, the carnival parade takes place in the Sambadrome, located close to the city center. The parades start at 20:00 or 21:00 (depending on the date) and end around 5:00 in the morning. So, you can experience the most incredible show on earth all night long.
You might be wondering, when does this event of joy and fun start? Or, how did it all start? There are many theories about the Rio Carnival History, with stories of a pagan celebration in ancient Rome.
Watch 50 best floats of the Rio Carnival & Festival!
The origins of the Carnival!
Let’s go back to the 1650s when the Romans organized elaborate feasts to give honor to the Greek wine gods, Dionysius or Bacchus, the god of the grape harvest. The Portuguese brought and introduced the festival, which inspired the birth of the Carnival in Brazil. The first Rio masquerade was in 1840, with polka and waltz taking the spotlight. Then, Africans influenced the Carnival with samba music in 1917, which is now considered a traditional Brazilian form.
Watch The Economist’s short video from the historic standpoint about Rio Carnival!
Soundtrack of lifetime – Samba, De Janeiro
Now, it becomes the most spectacular Carnival full of glitz and glitter with a booming samba soundtrack. So, have you grown a desire to go there and see the Carnival with your own eyes? If you still need something to spark your appetite, here are the Rio Carnival facts that will blow your mind: Carnival has made the Guinness Book of Records the biggest Carnival in the world; some samba schools spend over $4 million to make their appearance on the Carnival; and many more.
The customs of the Carnival
The most significant element of the Rio Carnival is elaborate costumes. These Rio Carnival outfits are like none other as they are designed to reflect the theme of the samba schools. Rio is home to 70 samba schools, and each one is a result of a local neighbor collaboration that wants to attend the Carnival together.
Wearing a costume doesn’t apply only to a carnival participant, but you can also wear a costume and join the parade up close. There are lots of websites that provide a number of The Rio Carnival costume options. You can choose your preferred samba school, parading date, price and type.
How to join the Carnival?
How about now, do you want to join in this glorious Rio Carnival? Locals and visitors can participate in the parades by contacting Rio de Janeiro Independente Samba School League or each school individually. If you only want to watch the event, you can get The Rio Carnival tickets ranging from R$10 for the cheapest seats to R$5000 for VIP seats with an open bar and waitstaff. The Sambadrome or online with a Brazilian ID is where to buy Rio carnival tickets.