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Rio de Janeiro Festivals and Events

Attractions | Beaches | Festivals and Events

Carnival
March 2-3, 2003; February 22-23, 2004
Feathered headdresses and hips sway to infectious and relentless samba beats during Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. Samba schools perform their year's work and showcase elaborate costumes while the whole of Rio de Janeiro dances in the street for a raucous pre-Lent blowout that makes Mardi Gras look tame.

New Year's Eve and Festa de Iemanjá
December 31
New Year's Eve in Rio de Janeiro, with fireworks exploding over Copacabana, is a night remembered by millions. Coinciding with the Festa de Iemanjá, a festival honoring the Brazilian Sea Goddess, the pious revelers send candle boat offerings into the sea. Pack white clothes for the evening; Brazilians rarely wear black for their summery New Year's Eve.

Rio Jazz Festival
Late October
Rio de Janeiro inspired bossa greats like Joao Gilberto and Antonio Carlos Jobim; today, the city's sultry jazz scene continues to tremble. Rich and varied, the Rio Jazz Festival spans three musical nights and draws beautiful crowds in droves to hear world-class acts of jazz and her many variations.