Next: 5 to 9 Feb 2027
Carnival in Brazil
Feathers, sequins and body glitter in every colour, with each samba school parading in its own two colours.
The colours of Carnival in Brazil
Brazil's Carnival runs over the days before Lent. In Rio de Janeiro the samba schools parade through the Sambadrome, each with thousands of members in costumes of feathers, sequins and mirror. Every school has its own colours, worn with the loyalty of a football club: green and pink for Mangueira, blue and white for Portela, red and white for Salgueiro. In Salvador the Afro-Brazilian group Filhos de Gandhy walks in white and blue with turbans and bead necklaces, and Olodum's drums are painted in red, gold, green and black. In the streets of Olinda giant puppets sway above crowds under small umbrellas striped in blue, red, yellow and green, used to dance frevo.
#EC5C9AMangueira pinkOne of the two colours of the Mangueira school.#009B48Mangueira greenIts partner colour.#0B4EA2Portela bluePortela parades in blue and white.#F2C230Sequin goldCostumes and floats under the lights.#FFFFFFGandhy whiteThe white and blue of Filhos de Gandhy in Salvador.Values are fair approximations, not official shades.
Read about the colours
Written by the Rang desk with AI assistance. Background: "Brazilian Carnival" on Wikipedia. Customs differ from family to family and place to place. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.