It is pre-carnival time! Carnival is the love of every carioca`s life and all this love simply can not fit in just five days of fun. In an attempt to party while having less tourists and smaller crowds, cariocas started to put their blocos on the street before the official carnival season. And these pre-carnival parties in Rio are hugely popular.
Many cariocas spend carnival in Rio, which makes sense since it is the biggest party of the year. But with the increasing crowds, more and more locals are opting to enjoy the pre-carnival here and travel during the official carnival season somewhere far from the huge street parties. So pre-carnival is a serious deal. Some well known street parties are not scheduled for the official carnival days and nevertheless are genuine carnival fun.
Two weeks before carnival the parties start to warm up with blocos such as Carmelitas, Desliga da Justiça and Imprensa que eu Gamo. On the weekend before carnival the city is already taken by countless parties spread all over including Céu na Terra, Chora Me Liga, Simpatia é Quase Amor and Fogo e Paixão.
There are so many pre-carnival street parties that is easy to get lost in all options. So how to get along with it?
Firstly, be aware of not only the official, but also of the unofficial parties. In the beginning of the 2000’s the information on pre-carnival parties was super hard to find, but now there is so much information online that it is way easier to find them.
Secondly, acknowledge that it is impossible to attend all pre-carnival parties in Rio, so you can have a best efforts schedule, but do not get too obsessed with having it actually fulfilled. When you are flexible, you will have time to enjoy the party you are in and give yourself the chance to sit, eat and rest a bit in between parties. All parties are good and don`t be afraid to miss any fun.
Also, it is incredible hard to find people in the crowds, so if you are with friends make a plan in case you get lost. If your plan is to arrange with a friend to meet during the party, be conscious that this hardly works out well. You will just waste a lot of time trying to reach that person only to find out he is on the exact opposite side of the bloco.
Pre-carnival is an amazing party in Rio. It is huge and cozy, crowded and intimate. A party you will enjoy in preparation for carnival, because you know the best is still yet to come. Make sure to prepare yourself in the best way for carnival in Rio, so read our Ultimate Carnival Guide for more info.
Recommendations Blocos Pre-Carnival in Rio de Janeiro this weekend:
Friday (tonight): Minha Luz é De Led. It starts at 22.00 hours at the HUB in the city center. It is possible to buy tickets at the entrance.
Saturday: Desliga da Justiça. A party with the super heroes theme. It starts at 8.00 hours in Jardim Botanico. It’s for free.
Sunday: Ceu Na Terra & Vem Cá Minha Flor. It starts at 11.00 hours in Lapa, near the Arches of Lapa. You can buy tickets at the entrance.
Check our Instagram and Insta Stories for the latest updates about all the events related to Carnival in Rio. Or check our weekly events in Rio page for all events this weekend.
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