Brazil is the carnival and festival country. Brazilians love their festivals and carnival time is the biggest and most important weekend of the year.
The official carnival period extends over 4 days but in many places, carnival is celebrated for a whole week. Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is the most famous worldwide but there are many more carnivals to experience in Brazil.
Among the more popular carnivals in Brazil include, Rio de Janeiro, Sao Paulo, Recife, Olinda, João Pessoa, Salvador and Aracatí.
To book a holiday to Brazil to be part of a carnival, book as early as possible as demand is high for both flights to Brazil and hotels.
Carnival celebration is an ancient tradition where, since 1641, the people have gone out on the streets to dance and forget about “real life” for a while. Carnival peeled away titles and the working class could have fun side by side with the upper classes. Carnival costumes, perhaps the chief characteristics of the Brazilian carnivals, are originally from all the different ethnicity’s cultures which constitute the Brazilian population. Here we see influences from Native Americans, Africans, Europeans, and everything in between. Carnival in Rio is a more modern flavour and costumes rather follow a theme that each samba school has chosen for its visual appearance. In smaller towns, the traditional elements are still strong.
Carnival has not solely been a festive event. The costumes enabled anonymity and so pave the way for carnival goers to be critical of corrupt politicians, complaining about poverty or provide constructive criticism on how those in power could improve society. However, the essential characteristic of the carnival to lift the spirits and celebrate life has always been the most important thing during carnival time over the years.
Carnival in Bahia is still today most likely have religious elements. In Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo the carnival is primarily a display of samba schools. In Pernambuco, some 1.5 million people in one long train for a joint appearance. Carnival is different from city to city and all have filled the carnival with its own special charm.
Carnival is also a year-long work. Once a carnival closes planning for the next year begins. Costumes have to be sewn, dance steps will be organised to music and will be printed for people to practice. This can be seen perhaps mainly in Rio de Janeiro where the carnival is a major industry. The music played by the samba schools begin playing on the radio a few weeks in advance and Rio residents have their own favorites to cheer in the carnival train. The performances will be graded by a strict regulatory framework. For example, a school may deduct points if any participant is completely naked. Carnival in Rio is a showcase at the highest level of luxury, music, song, dance and costumes. Samba Schools performs with thousands of members in their carnival.
Carnival Dates for the next few years:
2010 February 13, 14, 15, 16
2011 March 5, 6, 7, 8
2012 February 18, 19, 20, 21
2013 February 9, 10, 11, 12
2014 March 1, 2, 3, 4