THE CARNIVAL OF BRAZIL
is an annual festival held the Friday afternoon before Ash Wednesday at noon, which marks the beginning of Lent, the forty-day period before Easter. The Brazilian Carnival has its roots in a combination of indigenous, African, and European traditions. It evolved over centuries, blending indigenous celebrations with Portuguese colonial traditions and African influences brought by enslaved people. The first records of carnival-like celebrations in Brazil date back to the 17th century. However, the formal organization and structured parades that resemble the modern Brazilian Carnival started to take shape in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, particularly in cities like Rio de Janeiro and Salvador. Over time, these celebrations grew into the elaborate and diverse festival we know today, with samba music, vibrant costumes, and the iconic Samba school parades becoming the centerpiece of the Carnival in many cities across Brazil.
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The Carnival has since evolved and grown into the massive, internationally renowned celebration it is today. The biggest and most famous Carnival in Brazil is held in Rio de Janeiro. The city’s Carnival attracts millions of people from around the world. The highlight of Rio’s Carnival is the spectacular Samba parades that take place in the Sambadrome, where different Samba schools compete with elaborate floats, costumes, and performances. The Carnival in Rio is renowned for its scale, grandeur, and cultural significance.
