On Friday, February 24, millions of revelers took to the streets of Rio de Janeiro to mark the beginning of Rio Carnival 2017. Traditionally, Carnival begins when the symbolic keys of the city are handed over to the king of carnival. The country comes to a standstill during the event, which lasts until the following weekend, with empty streets and most businesses closing their doors.
The famous parades of Rio began on the first day of Carnival, with several samba schools warming up for the elite “special group” samba schools, such as Mangueira and Beija-Flor, which competed during the nights of Sunday and Monday.
The parades were intense. Up to 3,000 artists at a time danced and sang in extravagantly elaborate costumes.
This year, the samba school Portela (photo) won the Rio Carnival parade after 33 years with a spectacular performance that highlighted the environmental importance of rivers. Portela last won the parade contest in 1984. However, it still holds more titles than all other samba schools in Rio, with a total of 22.
With the theme “Life in the Rivers of Brazil,” the school highlighted native fish and the relationship between humans and water, but also emphasized the human and environmental impact of the Samarco disaster, which left nine people dead in 2015.
Portela was founded in 1923 in the Madureira neighborhood in northern Rio and is considered one of the most traditional samba schools in Rio de Janeiro.
Brazil’s carnival Sunday in 2018 will be on February 11. Don’t miss a wonderful chance to enjoy the festive atmosphere of Rio de Janeiro. You have plenty of time to plan ahead.