From Friday, March 1, to Tuesday, March 5, Rio de Janeiro hosted the most famous and largest carnival in the world.
The Carnival in Rio is a time when the streets are filled with vibrant colors, Brazilians dancing, fiery music, and crowds of people.
The festivities include the parade of the Samba Schools at the Sambadrome “Marques de Sapucaí” and the street block parades, such as “Cordão do Bola Preta.” Both attract millions of spectators.
To watch the samba school parade at the Sambadrome, revelers must purchase tickets. The cost ranges from 60 to 2700 reais
(about US$ 16 to US$ 725). All outdoor activities are absolutely free.
A Tribute to the Absent Heroes
Estação Primeira de Mangueira, a samba school, paid tribute to Brazilian heroes absent from history books. The result could not have been better: the school was crowned champion of the Rio de Janeiro carnival in 2019 with the samba-enredo titled “A Bedtime Story for Grown-Ups.”
Next, some of the historical and contemporary figures referenced in Mangueira’s parade.
Leci Brandão
Singer, songwriter, and politician. Brandão was the first woman to join the group of composers of Mangueira and is one of the greatest promoters of samba to this day.
Jamelão
José Bispo Clementino dos Santos, a shoemaker and newspaper vendor, became known as “Jamelão” after he started performing Mangueira’s sambas in 1949, becoming the school’s main singer from 1952 to 2006. He passed away in 2008.
Aleijadinho
Antônio Francisco Lisboa, better known as Aleijadinho, was an important sculptor, carver, and architect in colonial Brazil.
Marielle Franco
Marielle Franco was born in Maré, a favela in North Zone of Rio. She graduated and was elected councilwoman by the Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL) in 2016. An activist, Marielle advocated for the causes of women, black people, and favela residents. Marielle was murdered on March 14, 2018.
Carolina Maria de Jesus
Carolina Maria de Jesus was a Brazilian writer known for her book Child of the Dark, originally published in 1960. She is considered one of the first and most important black writers in Brazil.
Tourism Record
The 2019 carnival broke records in Rio de Janeiro, generating
R$ 3.78 billion in revenue, 26% more than the previous year. The samba school parades and street blocks also attracted more tourists to Rio in 2019. According to data released by Riotur, the flow of visitors reached 1.62 million, an 8% increase compared to 2018, when Rio received 1.5 million tourists.
And those who landed in Rio for Carnival approved of the organization, security, and available information. This is the result of a survey commissioned by Riotur, which revealed a satisfaction rate of 98% among tourists.
More to Come
The 2020 Carnival festival is scheduled to take place from February 21 to 29, 2020. Although Rio’s Carnival is the most famous among tourists, São Paulo and many other Brazilian cities also organize incredible carnivals. Plan ahead!!!