Carnaval

Carnaval takes place in the days before Ash Wednesday, with the biggest crowds usually from Friday or Saturday through Carnival Tuesday. In Brazil, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo are famous for samba school parades in the Sambadrome, where escolas de samba compete with a samba-enredo, giant floats, percussion sections, themed costumes, and dancers judged in several categories. At the same time, street blocos fill neighborhoods with brass bands, drumming, beer stands, and people following the music in costume. In Salvador, trios elétricos carry performers through packed avenues; in Recife and Olinda, frevo and maracatu are central, and steep historic streets fill early with umbrellas, marching bands, and masked revelers.

In Portugal, Carnaval is also tied to the days before Lent, but local traditions vary more by town. Torres Vedras is known for satirical parades, oversized cabeçudos, and political humor; Lazarim keeps older Entrudo customs with carved wooden masks; Madeira stages large parades in Funchal. A typical day can begin with children and families in costume, continue with afternoon street processions, and end late with concerts, dancing, and crowded bars. Food depends on the place, but people often buy quick festival snacks from stalls rather than sit-down meals during the busiest hours. A simple greeting is Bom Carnaval!, and many people plan the day around a specific bloco, parade route, or night parade ticket.

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