Rio Carnival Samba Costumes Explained

Salgueiro Samba Scholl float detail

How is it like to parade with a real
Samba school on a real Brazilian
Carnival Costume.

 

Be one of the stars at the Sambodromo. Get a gorgeous costume and take part, like a native, in the Samba Parade with a real Samba School costume.

 

Feel free to jump ahead:

 

Costumes Explained

This is the real fun, an experience that is second to none - to take part in the parade in a beautiful costume, to the heartbreaking beats of samba, on the biggest ground stage on earth. Watching the parade is definite once in a life-time event. But parading is more than that. You will want to do it every year.

Our one-of-a-kind costume packages allow you to live all the thrill and the excitement of the carnival celebration. Can you picture yourself parading with one of Rio’s famous Samba Schools, dancing the rhythms of Carnaval and singing the samba with thousands of people watching? The event is broadcasted live to millions of people around the globe. Parading will boost your feelings, from the time you dress your costume, through the warming up time at the “concentracao”, to the end, when your school show is over.
Ground costumes are already on sale and at special price before January 19. Go ahead and order yours now. This is very last minute for your costume purchase.

 

Costume packages are offered for the three main parade days:

Saturday February 9th: with the A-League, which is part of the schools that are competing for a place among the Special League Samba schools on the following year. It's half of the price if you compare it with the Special League Samba Schools and just as fun. There will be ground and float costumes to choose from.

Sunday February 10th and Monday February 11th: with the Special Group, which makes the most coveted and famous parades everyone talks about.

For your safety and comfort, all our costumes packages include:
- Roundtrip transportation from and to the Sambodromo
- English speaking guided assistance.

Help Choosing your Costume

You will be parading as part of a specific wing of a Samba School, where all participants will be wearing the same costume. The Parade is presented by different Samba Schools that represent their neighborhoods. Each of the samba schools supports a theme for the year competition. In order to tell the history, the samba school presents itself in many different wings, each of them with the participants wearing the same costume.

How to choose your costume:

• Our packages include roundtrip transfers from Copacabana.
• Select the costume that you want - available at end of November. It's your ticket to February with the school.
• When purchasing your Carnival costume, we will need to get some measurements from you such as SHOE SIZE and CLOTHING SIZE S/M/L/XL. You will be contacted in time in order to provide us with that piece of information.
• You will be contacted by our Ticket Center staff, if we have any questions and to give you further instructions.
• On parade night you will be transported to the Sambodromo warming-up area (concentracao) and, in the company of our guide and fellow members of "Escola de Samba", you will participate in the unforgettable parade that is Carnival in Rio. The parade itself lasts approximately 50 minutes. Each school has 90 minutes to cross the runaway.

Costume Package Prices


Average costs for 2013 costumes vary according to the parading day. Saturday offers more affordable packages while Sunday and Monday are more expensive. Prices also vary according to the school's fame and reputation, the samba school president's pricing policy and the costume details.

Ground costumes start at US$ 250 and can cost as much as US$ 650. Float costumes vary between US$ 1,200’s to $ 6,000’s.

All package prices include guided-assistance in English and roundtrip transportation from Copacabana to the Sambodromo and back to Copacabana when the show is over.

The prices above include, for your comfort and safety, guided-assisted transportation from Copacabana to Sambodromo and back to Copacabana when the parade is over. Prices include your parading and the organization.

Should you want to stay in the sambodromo to watch other school when your show is over, remember to buy an additional ticket to re-enter the premises. You will also need to arrange your own transportation back to your hotel.

Your role - Advice how to win points for your school

You will be dancing and singing while parading. It’s a mile-long run-way that demands energy and the will to win. Your Samba school is there to win the competition. A runner-up position place rarely makes anybody happy.

Your school wants to win and you have to want that too!
Each of the participants in every school has an essential goal. Each and every one must put his utmost energy into his performance for the School. Your performance will also be fundamental for your school’s scores and they will count on you.

Learn and sing the lyrics of your samba song. The chorus of all participants and the power of the drums are what make the crowd in the bleachers go wild and win points for your School. The judges will also take into consideration how well the paraders know the samba song and how well they sing it and dance onto it.

The cariocas – residents of Rio de Janeiro - will already know all the samba songs of the year. You should be as good as they are.

Remember that you don’t need to know how to samba. It’s absolutely not necessary; you will run and swing more than samba itself.


Another factor that is judged is the harmony of the parading members, represented by the flow of the school. What is important is that you do your part on the Avenue with your wing, showing stamina, happiness, vitality and a big smile.
Each school has about 20 wings and each wing contains about 150 to 200 people. Every wing has a costume which tells one part of the samba school story theme.

Order your Costume NOW!

Learn more about the Sambodromo.

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