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Street Carnival: Top 10 Blocos de Rua in Rio de Janeiro
- Wednesday January 10th, 2024
- Posted by: Amanda Ennes
- Category: Rio de Janeiro
The street carnival in Brazil is famous all around the world. Everyone knows Brazilians love to wear their costume during Carnival and enjoy the party all day long. The ‘blocos de rua’ in Rio de Janeiro are among the most popular in Brazil. There are hundreds of them around the city with partygoers choosing the best ones for them to enjoy every day.
If you do not know what ‘blocos de rua’ are, they are also called ‘carnaval de rua’, ‘bloquinhos’, or ‘blocos de carnaval’. Street bands follow an adapted sound truck (trio elétrico) playing lively, fast-paced, and energetic music. Even though many bands play samba, marchinha is the most popular music genre in blocos de rua. Some just lay in a specific location, but most go through a pre-defined route through some streets in the neighborhoods.
Here is an important information if you plan to enjoy the blocos de rua in Rio de Janeiro: if you do not like crowded spaces, you will hate it. Maybe another kind of party during Carnival is best for you.
Other important tips to follow:
- Drinks lots of water because of the heat;
- Take care of your personal belongings and watch out for pickpockets;
- If you drink too much, make sure you have a friend watching out for you;
- Use public transportation;
- Plan your day ahead so you know which blocos de rua you are joining for the day.
Further readings: Where To Celebrate Carnival In Brazil – Best Cities & Parties & All About Carnival In Brazil – History, Where To Go & Vocabulary.
Table of Contents
ToggleBest Blocos de Rua in Rio de Janeiro
Cordão da Bola Preta
Cordão da Bola Preta was founded in 1918 and is the most traditional of all blocos de rua in Rio de Janeiro. They parade at Avenida Rio Branco in Centro and bring over 600,000 people to their party each year. In 2012, over 2,5 million people joined the party. If you want to mingle with the locals who love this bloco, wear black and white to the parade, including black and white makeup.
Parade in 2024: February 10th, 7 am.
Carmelitas
Legend says a nun from the Carmelitas Monastery would sneak out of the nunnery to join the carnival. People started to dress as nuns so no one could identify the runaway woman. That is why people like to use a nun’s costume for this parade. Bloco das Carmelitas paraded for the first time in 1990 and became a huge success in Rio. They parade twice every year in Santa Teresa neighborhood and bring thousands of partygoers along with them.
Parade in 2024: February 9th, 1 pm and February 13th, 8 am.
Sargento Pimenta
This famous bloco does not follow a route. They perform on a stage in Aterro do Flamengo and is one of the best blocos de rua in Rio de Janeiro. They only play Beatles songs in samba rhythm.
Parade in 2024: February 12th, 8 am.
Areia
Great bloco for those who want to stay away from the crowded blocks in Centro. Areia parades in Leblon and brings people together for a party full of carnival music.
Parade in 2024: February 11th, 7 am.
Céu na Terra
Another popular bloco de carnival, Céu an Terra parades in Santa Teresa. It’s a favorite among Cariocas.
Parade in 2024: February 10th, 7 am.
Simpatia É Quase Amor
This traditional bloco de rua was founded in 1985. It brings over 100,000 people to the parade in Ipanema.
Parade in 2024: February 11th, 2 pm.
Cordão do Boitatá
If you like carnival music, you will love this one, as it’s famous for having the best musicians playing. Its stage is located at Praça XV and you can enjoy the shadow of the trees while having fun. It is great if you do not like the heat of summer in Rio de Janeiro.
Parade in 2024: February 11th, 11 am.
Bloco do Barbas
Bloco dos Barbas in Botafogo is famous to bring a water truck to cool the partygoers during the parade. It is a popular bloco since the ’80s.
Parade in 2024: February 10th, 2 pm.
Escangalha
Enjoy the Carnival in Jardim Botânico and Gávea with bloco Escangalha.
Parade in 2024: February 10th, 8 am.
Banda de Ipanema
If you are looking for blocos de rua in Rio de Janeiro, and trying to find a match for you, this one is great. Banda de Ipanema brings hundreds of thousands of people to their parade in Ipanema twice a year.
Parade in 2024: February 10th, 4 pm and February 13th, 4 pm.
All Blocos de Rua in Rio de Janeiro
If you want to plan your Carnival ahead, you can visit the website Blocos de Rua and filter all blocos de rua by date or neighborhood. Furthermore, this website also shows you the dates for pre and post-carnival street events.
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