Carnival has Outstanding Parties with Great Tradition
Rio de Janeiro, as the City of Carnival, offers a selection of Carnival balls you really should not miss. You won’t have to spend a fortune to have a great time. Tickets to most balls will cost you around R$30 to R$50 ($15-20) and are available on the door. Exceptions are the two most famous ones in the luxury hotels Copacabana Palace and Gloria. Other great balls are in Rio Scala. Clube dos Caiçaras and the Hard Rock Cafe’s Kid’s Folia also organize animated costume balls for adults and children. There are more theme balls city-wide e.g. balls for singles etc.
Costumes are not mandatory, with the exception of a few balls. Putting on one will help you get in the right mood and will make the night even more special, though. Bear in mind however that Rio is the capital of Carnival and costume standards are very high.
A true Carnival ball features live music and samba rules the floors. The percussion groups are full of vigor and can be just as loud as vast loud-speakers in a night club.
Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is unforgettable. The city explodes in joy and music. There are hundreds of street festivities and bands everywhere, but nothing compares to the gigantic party at the sambodrome parade.
Also called arquibancadas, the grandstand tickets are divided in Sectors 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11. The seats are opened and not numbered . Good choice if you want to mix with locals.
Price List Sun. feb. 3rd Mon. feb. 4th Sat. feb. 9th
Sector 3 US$ 109.00 US$ 109.00 N/A
Sector 4 US$ 89.00 US$ 89.00 N/A
Sector 5 US$ 179.00 US$ 179.00 US$ 99.00
Sector 7 US$ 219.00 US$ 219.00 US$ 125.00
Sector 11 US$ 179.00 US$ 179.00 US$ 99.00
All prices are per person.
Rio de Janeiro houses hundreds of different samba schools, organized into a number of interconnected leagues. The major league is called “Grupo Especial”. A Samba School starts by choosing a theme. Past themes have focused on a historical or present event, myths, political or artistic personalities, earth, animals. They perform a specific style of Samba called Samba-Enredo (story samba), which narrates the story of the chosen theme for that year. It is important that the lyrics, costumes and floats support the chosen theme.
A Samba School has from 60 to 75 minutes to pass through the runway. It is an intense, exciting experience of action and joy that does not stop until one reaches the other side.
The entire time of their passage, the schools are judged by an official jury. Amongst the considerations, the costumes and the musical presentation are considered seriously: the song, rhythm and how the dancers move to the beat. The samba schools are also judged on how much joy and fun they present during their parade, which is an important component to the Carnival spirit
