Rio Carnival facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Rio Carnival
A float at Rio Carnival, 2014
Type	cultural, religious
Significance	Celebration prior to fasting season of Lent.
Celebrations	Parades, parties, open-air performances
Begins	Friday before Ash Wednesday (51 days to Easter)
Ends	Ash Wednesday noon (46 days before Easter)
2024 date	Afternoon, February 9 – midday, February 14
2025 date	Afternoon, February 28 – midday, March 5
2026 date	Afternoon, February 13 – midday, February 18
2027 date	Afternoon, February 5 – midday, February 10
Frequency	annual
Related to	Carnival, Brazilian Carnival, Ash Wednesday, Lent

The Rio Carnival (in Portuguese: Carnaval do Rio de Janeiro) is a huge yearly festival. It happens just before Lent, a time of fasting for many Christians. This celebration is known as the biggest Carnival in the world. About two million people join the fun on the streets every day! The first Carnival festival in Rio took place way back in 1723.

The typical Rio Carnival parade is full of happy people, amazing floats, and beautiful decorations. These come from many different samba schools in Rio. There are over 200 samba schools, divided into five groups. A samba school is a group of neighbors who come together to participate in the Carnival. They often share a common background or live in the same area.

Each samba school follows a special order for their parade. It starts with the "comissão de frente" (Front Commission). This group of 10 to 15 people introduces the school. They set the mood for their performance. These dancers wear fancy costumes and perform choreographed moves. Their dance usually tells a short story.

After the "comissão de frente" comes the first float. It is called "abre-alas" (Opening Wing). Next are the Mestre-sala and Porta-Bandeira (Master of Ceremonies and Flag Bearer). They lead the dancers. The parade also includes old guard veterans and the "ala das baianas." At the very end is the drum line, sometimes with brass instruments and guitars.

What is the History of Rio Carnival?

The Rio Carnival celebration started around the 1650s. Back then, people held big feasts to honor the Greek gods of wine. The Romans also worshipped Bacchus, their god of the grape harvest.

The festival called 'Entrudo' was brought by the Portuguese. This inspired the start of Carnival in Brazil. In 1840, Rio had its very first masquerade ball. People danced to polka and waltz music. Later, in 1917, African culture influenced the Carnival. They introduced Samba music. Samba is now a traditional Brazilian music style.

The Carnival was canceled during some years. This happened from 1915 to 1918 and from 1940 to 1945. It was also canceled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. It returned in 2023.

How Do Samba Schools Parade?

Parade of Mangueira, a famous samba school in Rio Carnival

The Samba school parades used to happen in Praça Onze. This area was also known as “Big Africa.” It is considered the birthplace of the modern Carioca Carnival parade. In 1929, some of the first samba schools paraded there. These included Estácio de Sá, Portela, and Estação Primeira de Mangueira. By 1930, seven schools were active in the city.

The parade moved to Avenida Presidente Vargas later. From 1942 to 1945, it was held in São Januário. Starting in 1952, temporary stands were set up for the public. In 1961, people started buying tickets. This was because more tourists wanted to see the parade. In 1974, the parade moved again due to subway construction. It was held on Avenida Presidente Antônio Carlos. This was also the first time it was shown on color television.

In 1978, the parade moved to Marquês de Sapucaí Avenue. It has been there ever since. In 1983, the governor, Leonel Brizola, asked architect Oscar Niemeyer to design a permanent stadium. This stadium was built in the same area. Before this, the bleachers were only temporary. They were set up and taken down each year.

How Do Samba Schools Compete?

More and more schools started joining the parade. This made the parade very long. To make it easier for the public, the parade was split into two days in 1984. Lower-level schools paraded on Friday evening into Saturday morning. The major schools paraded on Sunday evening into Monday morning.

That year, a "super-champion" school was also named. This happened after a special parade of champions. However, this practice was never repeated. So, Mangueira is the only samba school to ever win the "super-champion" title.

The top schools, part of the Special Group under LIESA, parade over two days. These are Sunday and Monday. The A Series schools parade on Friday and Saturday under LIERJ. The Gold Division (A Series) champion school gets to join the Special Group next year. They parade last on Carnival Monday. The Special Group champion parades again on the Saturday after Ash Wednesday.

When Does the Rio Carnival Happen?

Rio's Carnival starts on the Friday before Lent. It officially ends on Ash Wednesday. However, the Winners' Parade happens on the Saturday after the carnival ends. The winning school and the runners-up from the Special Group, plus the A Series champion, all parade one last time. This is for their fans.

The samba school parades are a mix of dance, fashion, music, and competition. Thousands of performers parade in the early morning hours. They go through the Sambadrome. This is a long structure with a runway for parades. It also has seats for 72,500 spectators.

Here are some past and future Carnival dates:

• February 21 to 26, 2020
• February 12 to 17, 2021 (This was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic)
• April 20 to April, 2022 (This was moved due to COVID-19)
• February 17 to 22, 2029

How to Get Tickets for the Sambadrome?

Sambadrome sectors diagram

In 1984, the government built the Sambadrome as the new home for Rio Carnival. Today, you need tickets for some of the most famous Carnival events. There are different kinds of Sambadrome tickets you can buy.

• Grandstand tickets are general admission. They are given out first-come, first-served.
• Frisas are open-air box seats. They are located along the samba runway.
• Camarotes are luxury boxes. They are found between the frisas and the grandstands.
• Sector 9 is the tourist sector. These are like grandstand tickets, but you get assigned seats.

Carnival ticket prices change. They depend on the ticket type, the section, and the time of year. The cheapest sections are 12 and 13. You can buy tickets early from international sellers. You can also buy them from local travel agents in Rio de Janeiro. Usually, buying a ticket means you get a voucher. You then exchange this voucher for the actual ticket closer to the event date.

What is the Street Carnival Like?

Cordão da Bola Preta, the oldest street block of Rio de Janeiro's Carnival

While the main parade is in the Sambadrome, many people enjoy other Carnival events. Street festivals are very popular during Carnival. Locals fill these events. People often leave fancy clothes behind, but music and dancing are still everywhere. Anyone can join these street festivals.

Bandas are very common in the street carnival. It's easy to join the fun; you just jump in! One of Rio's most famous bandas is Banda de Ipanema. It started in 1965 and is known as Rio's most playful street band.

Dancing and music are a big part of the Rio Carnival. The most famous dance is carnival samba. This Brazilian dance has roots in African culture. Samba is still popular, not just at Carnival, but also in neighborhoods outside the main cities. These communities keep the traditional dance alive.

Music is also a huge part of the Carnival. The samba found in Rio is called Battucanada. This means the dance and music are based on percussion instruments. It creates a rhythm that lets you sing, dance, and parade all at once. This is why the batucada style is in most of Rio's street carnivals.

Street parades, blocos, and bandas happen all over Rio during Carnival. There can be over 300 bandas happening at the same time. The biggest street party is usually right outside the Sambadrome. The largest organized street dance is often at Cinelândia Square in Rio's Centro. In 2012, more than 2 million people joined the Cordão da Bola Preta bloco.

When the Sambadrome was built in 1984, it moved street parades from downtown to a special ticketed area. Since then, some samba schools have worked to bring the carnival back to the streets. They want to use the carnival tradition to fill the streets with parades or blocos. Many of these represent a local community but are open to everyone.

Several of Rio's street carnival blocks are part of the Rio de Janeiro State Street Carnival Blocks Federation (FBCERJ). This group was started in 1965.

Who are the King and Queens of Carnival?

King Momo

King Momo#King Momos of Rio de Janeiro King Momo is a symbolic figure who rules the Carnival. He is chosen each year and given a giant key to the city. His job is to officially open the Carnival and keep the party spirit alive!

Queens of Carnival

The Queen of the Carnival in Rio de Janeiro and up to two princesses help King Momo. Their job is to encourage everyone to have fun during the celebration. Unlike some cities, the Queens of Carnival in Rio do not represent a specific samba school. In competitions, the princesses are usually placed as second and third. After their reign, some queens or princesses might become queens or bridesmaids for a samba school's drum section.

Samba Parade at the Sambódromo (Sambadrome) during the Rio Carnival

Images for kids

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  Flag bearer and master of ceremony

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  Float with a giant Lemuel Gulliver

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  A float with the Dragon of Saint George

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  A float with a camel caravan