About New Year's in Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro is challenging New York as the biggest New Year's Eve party in the world. New Year's Eve is called Reveillon in Portuguese.

Brazilians know how to party. Many people think that Carnival in Brazil is the biggest party of the year, but New Year's in Rio de Janeiro has an equal high-energy party atmosphere.

Copacabana beach attracts over 2.5 million people. Including the other beaches around 5 million people come out celebrate New Year and take part in the greatest demonstration of peace the world has ever seen. Cariocas (people from Rio) traditionally wear white on New Year's Eve; it's the color of peace and the color worn by devotees of Candomblé ( Afro-Brazilian religion) to honor Yemanjá.. Offering a white flower to Yemanjá, the goddess of the seas, is also a part of the ritual. The exquisite fireworks festival starts at midnight, lasting almost a half hour.

Another great thing about New Year's Eve in Rio is that it is the middle of summer (avg. temperatures are about 90 degrees F).