Pre-Carnival Weekend Brings Around 300,000 Revelers to the Streets with Chora Me Liga and 44 Other Parades

Pre-Carnival Weekend Brings Around 300,000 Revelers to the Streets with Chora Me Liga and 44 Other Parades

Besides the mega sertanejo bloco in the city center, Xodó da Piedade and Foliões do Rio thrilled the crowd in Rio’s North Zone

A massive crowd took over the streets of Rio de Janeiro this pre-Carnival Sunday, February 16. Wrapping up a weekend that featured 45 attractions and around 300,000 revelers spread across various neighborhoods, one of the highlights was the mega sertanejo bloco Chora Me Liga in the city center. Meanwhile, kids had their share of fun with Mini Seres do Mar in Laranjeiras, Bloquinho do Sem Ribalta in Tijuca, and Bigodinho Esticado in Méier. Traditional blocos also took to the streets, including Vira Lata in São Conrado, dedicated to axé and Bahian music, and Me Esquece, featuring professional percussionists from Jardim Botânico.

Also on Sunday, the Multibloco technical rehearsal energized the city center, while Vai Tomar no Grajaú, Xodó da Piedade, and Amigos da Barra added to the festivities.

Record-Breaking Attendance

With a total of 23 attractions, Saturday (February 15) set a new attendance record, marking the busiest day of Rio’s Street Carnival so far. The day kicked off with the mega bloco Da Gold, featuring Léo Santana, drawing approximately 200,000 people to the city center. In the same area, Desliga da Justiça gathered revelers dressed as villains and superheroes at Praça Tiradentes. Meanwhile, Tecnomacumba celebrated African-rooted religions in Saúde. In the South Zone, traditional blocos like Spanta Neném in Lagoa and Imprensa Que Eu Gamo in Laranjeiras also brought together thousands of revelers.

The pre-Carnival celebrations continue at full speed next weekend, starting on Friday morning (February 21). The complete schedule, including dates, times, and parade routes, is available on the Blocos do Rio 2025 app across all digital platforms. The app is free and works via geolocation. The full list is also available at https://www.carnavalderua.rio/, which includes parade calendars, bloco news, and additional information about Rio’s Street Carnival 2025.

Operational Plan for Rio’s 2025 Street Carnival

With an estimated 6 million people expected over 37 days of festivities, the 2025 Street Carnival will feature over 470 blocos across different areas of Rio through March 9.

To ensure that the public enjoys the celebration safely and comfortably, the City Hall, through Riotur, has prepared a large-scale operational plan. This involves CET-Rio, the Municipal Health Department (SMS), Comlurb, the Public Order Secretariat (Seop), and the Rio Municipal Guard (GM-Rio), among other agencies, which will be active in event areas and surrounding locations.

Photo Credit: Bloco Vira Lata – Alexandre Macieira/Riotur

Riotur Communications Office

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