Rio Carnival 2023

No place on Earth does Carnival like Rio! – 7 days of non stop partying 2023

Rio de Janeiro is world-famous for its Carnival and a must-see, once in a lifetime event, a sceptical that will leave you breathless. The Rio Carnaval is not only the biggest Carnival globally; it is also a benchmark against which every other Carnival is compared.

• Almost everyone has heard of the Rio Carnaval, and foreign visitors to it alone number over 1 million every year, so plan your trip in advance, hotels fill up fast. 

Rio Gay Circuit Carnival Events

• Heaven night club, one of the newest gay venues in Rio hosts a weekend of circuit parties featuring the biggest djs and a raft of international circuit names.
• Revolution Carnival, the famous pool party hosts a series of events, including its eponymous pool party, a beach party and a block party

Popular Gay Bars during Rio Carnival

Enjoy daily street parties and smaller parades each day, and every gay bar and club has a different party each night.

• Boate 1140 LGBT dance club with full bar & an array of events on stage including samba, pop & drag queen shows.
• Galeria Cafe  – Every Friday, Galeria packs in the young hotties and a few of their straight female BFFs. Music ranges from “flashbacks” to the ’80s, and 90’s to pop divas of today like Rihanna.
• Boate La Cueva – The oldest remaining gay bar in Rio de Janeiro is worth visiting if you are staying in Copacabana.
• Pink Flamingo –  Popular gay bar open seven days a week and each night has a little something different: DJs, stripper contests, Scruff-app nights, funk music parties, and more.
• Several circuit parties and large events are typically held during Carnival. As soon as they are confirmed, we will add them. Note that large clubs such as The Week and the BITCH parties are no longer open or hosting events.

Rio Carnival Parades

• For ten days, all of Rio celebrates as the clock ticks to the climax at the Samba Parade with some of the world’s most spectacular costumes and floats.
• The main parades on Sunday 19th and Monday 20th of February 2023
• The Carnival King is Momo, he is the god of mockery in Greek mythology, and according to Carnival tradition, King Momo should be jolly and as big as a house. Legend suggests that he was expelled from the Olympus to come and settle down in Rio, the City of Carnival.
• The Rio Carnival officially opens with the delivery of the key of the city to King Momo. When King Momo sambas, everything and everyone should also samba with him. Rio celebrates Carnival 40 days before Easter.
• It officially starts on Saturday and finishes on Fat Tuesday with the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday, after which one is supposed to abstain from all bodily pleasures.

The Gay Carnival & Block Parties

• Rio Carnival gay celebrations start way before anything official even begins. Take a tour and stop by Mangueira samba school, where teams are constantly rehearsing, and LGBTQ pride reigns supreme!
• Blocos da Rua (street block parties) are infused with a small amount of playful sexuality and gender fluidity. But, a handful of blocos are widely recognized as gay-friendly (or GLS, the Portuguese acronym for gay, lesbian, and sympathizers.) During Carnaval, be prepared for drag queens, overly indulgent and colourful parades, along with an “anything goes attitude”.Check out the gay-themed parades such as Bonitos do Corpo (“beautiful bodies”), a tribute to Brazilian beauty and the human form.

Banda de Ipanema Block Parties

• Hit the streets at Banda de Ipanema (Farme de Amoedo Street) for some fabulously gay street parties. Several street bands and groups stop the traffic at strategic points of the city, and some of them constitute the “official” Gay Carnival in Rio.
• The Banda de Ipanema opens the Carnival festivities two weeks before the official date, organizing three parades. This street band attracts many drag queens who personify different images, from the most classical, such as Carmen Miranda, to the most bizarre and grotesque. The second and third parade are traditionally on the Saturday and Tuesday of the final Carnival weekend.
• Most of the samba schools make tributes to gay icons as they parade through the streets. Many attendees, LGBTQ or otherwise, hit up this parade with the singular intention of kissing as many people as possible. If you want to participate in the street festivities, you have one more reason to do it: they are all free. More than four hundred block parties and parades and several official Balls—including an LGBT Ball held each year.
• Awaiting dates and updates for the block parties for 2023.

Scala Rio – Gay Carnival Ball

• Gala Gay at Scala, situated in Leblon, is on Carnival Tuesday and it is the most traditional one. It concentrates on the most exotic personalities with the most luxurious costumes. Scala Gay is televised, so bring your mask if you want to stay incognito.
• Both floors at the Scala are packed with revellers with masks and costumes dancing to the samba beats provided by live bands dressed in full costume. All you need to have is an open mind and be prepared to dress to impress for an unforgettable experience at one of Rio’s most significant events.
• Other famous balls include the Magic Ball at the Copacabana Palace Hotel, one of the most upscale events in the city.

The Sambadrome

The Sambadrome Marquês de Sapucaí is purpose-built specially for the Rio Carnival. The venue is in the downtown area of Cidade Nova, a 25-minute ride from Ipanema.

The Sambadrome parades are highly organized, with fierce competitions between clubs that develop different themes each year. Young and old, hundreds of Brazilians in official Sumba clubs compete and spend millions on elaborate costumes, entertainers and music. Clubs are complete with drag queens in fabulous outfits.

• Parades take place on Friday 17th Feb (9.30pm to 2am), Saturday 18th Feb (9.30pm to 4am), Sunday 19th Feb (9.30pm to 2.30am) and Monday 20th Feb, (9.30pm to 2.30am).
• Saturday, 25th Feb – Carnival ends with Saturday night’s Champion’s Parade, essentially the best of Carnival.

Rio Carnival Sambadrome Tickets can be purchased in advance, with many different options from Grandstand seats to box seating to VIP stands.

Where to stay during Rio Carnival

The following hotels are close to the city’s gay bars and just steps from the gay block parties held during Carnival.

Orla Copacabana Hotel,    Rio Othon Palace,    Atlantis Copacabana Hotel,    Hotel Fasano