Rio Carnival balls

[Bolt_Gundam510]

a little fun fact the government gave to the people down there. when the Carnival started the government gave the people over 25 million condoms yes you read it right 25 MILLION CONDOMS to start the Carnival off.

{click on the link at the bottom of the page wait till it loads then go to the bottom of the page and click on the links down there to look at some of the pictures from the Carnival}

Rio Carnival balls

In addition to the Samba Parade, and all the fun in the Streets, Rio offers a selection of Carnival balls you really should not miss. You won't have to spend a fortune to have a great time. Tickets to most balls will cost you around $20 to $50. If you are coming with a group you may reserve a table, or even a box.

A true Carnival Ball features live music. It's usually 2 bands taking turns, and sometimes there is a guest vocalist. Samba percussion is very loud. Bring earplugs if you have sensitive ears. Some balls are broadcast live on TV, and it's really funny watching reporters trying to squeeze answers out of the almost-gone-deaf dancers (see True Carnival Stories).

Five golden rules work at all Carnival Balls:

Avoid reserving tables right next to the dance floor. You would have to spend the night shooing away people who want to do the samba standing on your table, of all places!

The more stuff you bring, the more you have to worry about. If you want to take photos, for instance, we suggest disposable cameras.

The first thing to do once you get past the door: buy dozens of tickets for drinks. It makes a wonderful ice-breaker. If you don't make a connection with words, try the bottoms up sign - it is universally understood.

Avoid doing drugs. They will make you dehydrate you even faster, and you could run into serious problems with security, or police.

As nobody can compete with the greatest show on earth, the best balls usually happen on Carnival Friday, Saturday and Tuesday.

Balls for Singles

If you are like most single people, and want to score at Carnival, good luck! Carnival Balls are hot, fun, and they are just the right opportunity for you to establish a closer contact of whatever kind with locals. Help, a disco along Copacabana Beach, has balls for singles every Carnival night. Tickets are around $20, and most girls and boys that go there have pretty much the same thing in mind. These are not the balls where you would like to take along your mother, sweetheart, fiancée, etc. Scala, a club in Leblon, also promotes balls every night. Vermelho e Preto is on Friday.

Carnival Ball Etiquette

Tickets are for sale at the box office of clubs and venues where balls happen, all you have to do is enter the line. Avoid scalpers, you never know what you are getting... If you prefer to plan everything ahead, some balls are good bets (see bottom of this page). Call for box office hours, and purchase your ticket a couple of days earlier if it makes you feel safer.

Costumes are not mandatory, with the exception of few balls. Putting on something special will help you get in the right mood, though. If you are traveling with a group, coordinated costumes are a lot of fun. Bermuda shorts and the old Hawaiian shirt will do fine, but we know you can be more creative than that..

Female impersonator and actress Rogeria doubles as a reporter at Scala's Gala Gay Ball. Here she interviews a tourist for Bandeirantes, a major Brazilian network. Use your imagination, put on a colorful costume, and let the samba beat get into you. You may also be spotted by a Brazilian TV (couldn't resist the pun, sorry...)

ipanema