Brazil Nuts

With so many people traveling again, you can rest assured this year’s Rio Carnival festivities will be hot, hot, hot!

Considered one of the biggest parties in the world, revelers can expect more than 400 parties during the celebration that goes from Feb. 17-25, until Ash Wednesday when Christians begin fasting and penance until Easter. Rio Carnival begins each year when the mayor of Rio crowns a carnival king, known as King Momo, a jolly fat man. Unlike Momo, the Carnival Queen is chosen through a series of beauty and dance pageants. The parades at the Sambadrome are the main attraction. That’s where members of Rio de Janeiro’s most elite Samba Schools strut their stuff down the half-mile stretch. The celebration generally brings in about one million people from around the world. One of the highlights of Rio Carnival is the Magic Ball at the Copacabana Palace where famous celebrities can be found. Partygoers either don black tie and gala gowns or special costumes made just for the event.

Visit riocarnaval.org