Guide to Carnival in Rio
 Travelers Digest

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Samba Parade - Street Carnival Festivities - 2005 Planning Guide

Balls & Parties

In addition to the Samba Parade, and all the fun in the Streets, Rio offers a selection of Carnival balls you really should not miss. You won't have to spend a fortune to have a great time. Tickets to most balls will cost you around $20 to $50. If you are coming with a group you may reserve a table, or even a box.

While tickets for the Sambodrome should be reserved as early as possible, you may buy tickets for Carnival balls at the door. Tickets are for sale at the box office of clubs and venues, all you have to do is enter the line. Avoid scalpers, you never know what you are getting... If you prefer to plan everything ahead, some balls are always good bets. Call for box office hours, and purchase your ticket a couple of days earlier if it makes you feel safer.

Costumes are not mandatory, with the exception of few balls. Putting on something special will help you get in the right mood, though. If you are traveling with a group, coordinated costumes are a lot of fun. Bermuda shorts and the old Hawaiian shirt will do fine, but we know you can be more creative than that...

Leave back home gruesome rubber masks, or the three-foot-long nylon wig you wore for Halloween. A local could probably get away with it, but chances are you will dehydrate to death in 10 seconds when you hit the dance floor. Comfortable shoes that actually protect your feet from homicidal high heels are a must.

A true Carnival Ball features live music. It's usually 2 bands taking turns, and sometimes there is a guest vocalist. Samba percussion is very loud. Bring earplugs if you have sensitive ears. Some balls are broadcast live on TV, and it's really funny watching the reporters trying to squeeze answers out of the almost-gone-deaf dancers.

Five golden rules are applicable to all Carnival Balls:

  • Avoid reserving tables right next to the dance floor. You would have to spend the night shooing away people who want to do the samba standing on your table, of all places!
  • The more stuff you bring, the more you have to worry about. If you want to take photos, for instance, we suggest disposable cameras.
  • The first thing to do once you get past the door: buy dozens of tickets for drinks. It makes a wonderful ice-breaker. If you don't make a connection with words, try the bottoms up sign - it is universally understood.
  • Avoid doing drugs. They will make you dehydrate you even faster, and you could run into serious problems with security, or police.
  • As nobody can compete with the greatest show on earth, the best balls usually happen on Carnival Friday, Saturday and Tuesday.

 Favorite Carnival Balls
Though hundreds of balls happen all over the city, some are always better bets than others. New Carnival balls take a while to catch (if at all), and TV coverage or a VIP host is no guarantee that the ball is going to happen. We lined up the some interesting possibilities for you to choose from:

 Gala Balls
 The only luxury ball that survived the test of time and is is still worth going to happens at the Copacabana Palace on Carnival Saturday. Attractions include a number of local socialites, international stars, actors, soccer players, models from top agencies (on freebies of course), sometimes the mayor... If you like to rub shoulders with the rich and famous, this is the ball you are looking for. Young men and women in masks are hired to entertain. They will invite patrons to the dance floor, so you probably won't be stuck on your chair. Arrive early, and watch the grand entrance of Narcisa Tamborindeguy, a local socialite who lives next door. Black tie or luxury costumes are mandatory. Women will probably want to schedule a visit to a beauty salon, and ask for a special hairdo and make-up. Individual tickets start at around US$250 per person and up, and they are often sold out before the big night. Buy yours ahead directly from the hotel to avoid any disappointments.

 Balls for Singles
If you are like most single people, and want to score at Carnival, you will not be disappointed. Carnival Balls are hot, fun, and they are just the right opportunity for you to establish a closer contact or whatever kind with locals. Help, a disco along Copacabana Beach, has balls for singles every Carnival night. Tickets are around $20, and most girls and boys that go there have pretty much the same thing in mind. These are probably not the balls you would like to take your mother, sweetheart, fiancée, etc. According to messages we get from guys who went to balls at Help, many of the ladies are professionals and expect to be paid. Scala, a club in Leblon, also promotes hot balls. They happen every Carnival night with different themes (Tuesday is gay). Flamengo's Red and Black Ball on Carnival Friday changes venues often, but it is always a good bet.

 Gay Balls
Gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transsexuals, drag queens, and transvestites from all corners of the world celebrate Carnival in Rio. They can be seen in all their glory on floats at the Samba Parade, stopping traffic at the street festivities, and, of course, having a great time at the balls. The most traditional ball for alternative lifestyles is Gala Gay at Scala in Leblon, on Carnival Tuesday. The number of exotic characters is astounding, and you can count luxury costumes by the dozen. If you are allergic to feathers, stay home... This ball is so colorful and fun, it is even televised! You may be spotted by the cameras, so wear a mask if you are shy (as if). Right out the door there is a crowd of people cheering the new arrivals. If you freak out with all the attention, avoid the runway and go directly to the stairs to cut the line. You do not have to be gay or lesbian to participate. Straights are very welcome, and pretty much part of the scene!

X-Demente parties happen on Carnival Saturday and Tuesday. Past attractions include RuPaul, Jeff Striker and Martha Walsh. These parties usually happen in a renovated steel factory in the Downtown area (Lapa), known as Fundição Progresso. The venue is huge, but tickets tend to sell out fast (especially for Saturday). Buy yours in advance to avoid the lines. You will meet the famous Carioca Barbies in the flesh, so to speak - bare chests are almost mandatory. For variety's sake you may choose to go to X-Demente on Saturday, and Scala on Tuesday. B.I.T.C.H. party at theme park Terra Encantada is also a lot of fun. 

Le Boy disco has gay balls every night, alternating dance music, and samba. Balls have different themes and a live attraction that could be either a guest group, or some hot performance with go-go boys. Elite, a traditional samba hall near the Sambodrome, promotes popular gay balls on Carnival Sunday, and Monday. They attract a mixed crowd, including some suburbia and rough trade. The place is packed, a lot of people hang out in the street outside the door. Go with a local, and keep your wallet and money on the front pocket.