{"id":26161,"date":"2021-02-10T13:55:27","date_gmt":"2021-02-10T18:55:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.pimsleur.com\/?p=26161"},"modified":"2025-11-21T15:36:32","modified_gmt":"2025-11-21T20:36:32","slug":"carnival-in-brazil","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pimsleur.com\/blog\/carnival-in-brazil\/","title":{"rendered":"Carnival in Brazil: Everything You Need To Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Brazilian Carnival in a Nutshell: Your Guide To The Iconic Cultural Celebration<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What do Mardi Gras<\/em>, Venetian masks, and massive parades have in common? Carnival.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This big, colorful festival enchants people in countries all over the world and is celebrated in the most diverse ways.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And nowhere is Carnival more keenly and widely celebrated than in Brazil. From the north of the country to the south, Carnival is Brazil\u2019s biggest party of the year. It\u2019s a holiday from work\u2014a time to enjoy music, dance, and party for days. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s everything you need to know about Carnival in Brazil, including the best ways to enjoy it as a visitor to Brazil.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What is Carnival and Why do Brazilians Celebrate it?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Carnival is an annual Catholic festival that occurs leading up to Lent. Like Mardi Gras and other Carnivals worldwide, it\u2019s a big celebration of the food and pleasures one must give up during Lent. In Brazil, the Carnival is a really big deal, and the people plan the festivities months in advance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because the celebrations happen during February and March, during Brazil\u2019s summer, the ambiance is perfect for massive parties. There is even a common saying in Brazil that \u201cthe year starts only after Carnival,\u201d referring to the number of people that take their holidays between New Year\u2019s and Carnival, which itself is a national holiday. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll see it when you visit: during this time, the beaches are usually packed, and so are the bars. Some stores just don\u2019t open or only have reduced hours. The entire country seems to slow down, getting ready for the magic moment about to come. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When is Carnival?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Carnival celebrates the period leading up to Lent<\/a>, ending on the Tuesday<\/a> before Ash Wednesday<\/a>. The official dates of Carnival vary from year to year, like Easter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Generally, though, it takes place in February or early March. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Will I See if I Go to Carnival?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Carnival typically involves many parades and street parties full of people with elaborate costumes and masks. You\u2019ll see people indulging in food and drink, anticipating the fasting that will come with Lent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
<\/div>