Rio de Janeiro is betting on Carnival for ‘cooler’ parties – and a better Brazil

“When schools have more money, they have more resources to invest in equipment, costumes and floats. Tourists will see something nicer, tidier and more sophisticated; a cooler avenue and cooler parties; and a better day-to-day experience,” says Carlos Werneck, president of tourism group Visit Rio.

In addition, they’ve invested tens of millions reais into extending Carnival celebrations outside of the official five-day Carnival period. The capital has already helped fund the usual block parties on the weekends soon after New Year, and will support the street parties that continue in the weeks after the parades – allowing tourists a Carnival experience in Rio throughout the whole first quarter of the year. Tourism officials at Riotur and Visit Rio say there are also possible plans for a Carnival-style celebration in the middle of the year.

Benefits for Brazil

A large number of Rio’s residents depend on the celebrations and subsequent tourism for income. The investments in 2024’s Carnival have created 50,000 new jobs, says Costa, which predominantly support socially vulnerable groups from low-income neighbourhoods. The samba schools employ hundreds of people, including seamstresses, musicians, performers and organisers.

Full-time employees in Brazil typically receive an additional month’s salary at the end of the year, called the “thirteenth salary“. For self-employed or informal street workers, Carnival revenue is the equivalent of this bonus as well as an opportunity to pay off debts and save, says Oliveira, Copacabana’s street seller. This year, Rio officially registered 15,000 street sellers who will work during the block parties and parades, up from 10,000 last year.