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Samba schools from the Gold Series shake up Marquês de Sapucaí
Published on 01/03/2025 - 13:52 | Updated on 01/03/2025 - 17:34
The first day of parades by the Série Ouro schools excited the revelers at the Sambadrome - Ronaldo Nina/Riotur The Carnival atmosphere has taken over the city since the beginning of February, but it was this Friday (28/02) that the festivities officially began in Rio, under the command of King-Momo Caio César Dutra (Kaio Mackenzie), crowned by Mayor Eduardo Paes. The Royal Court of Rio's Carnival received the keys to the city and kicked off the festivities. Prepared to host the spectacle of the samba schools, Marquês de Sapucaí served as the stage for the first eight schools of the Série Ouro (formerly Grupo de Acesso), which showed determination and desire to win the championship.
The sound of tambourines echoed in sector 1, announcing the first night of the Série Ouro parades, which was approximately 40 minutes late. Technical problems in the parades of the first three schools, Botafogo Samba Clube, Inocentes de Belford Roxo and Unidos da Ponte, extended the parades beyond expectations. The sun had already risen when the last schools entered the avenue.
The night was filled with stories that exalt Brazilian mothers and how they work to nourish their sacredness: their faith, their sons and daughters; the history of the “glorious” team, Botafogo; the power of plants to cure diseases; the need to preserve forests and much more.
At Terreirão do Samba, which opened its season last weekend, this Friday (28/02) featured Roda de Samba from Beco do Rato and guests, Davi Quaresma, Diogo Nogueira and Sorriso Maroto. The shows will go on until Saturday (08/3), with the best of pagode and samba on the João da Baiana Stage.
In addition to the official stages of the festivities, the block party, which has been coloring the streets since the pre-Carnival weeks, continues in full swing, taking over the city.
The most charming nuns of Santa Teresa, from Bloco das Carmelitas, opened the official 2025 Carnival season in style on Friday afternoon (28/2), which featured 22 groups in total. Carmelitas, one of the most traditional groups in Rio, celebrated 35 years of existence with a samba that honors the right of each person to be who they are. The 150 drummers of the drum section dragged a lively crowd of revelers through the narrow streets of the bohemian neighborhood, dressed as nuns – the symbol of the group – priests, angels and demons, showing the true encounter between the sacred and the profane in the most democratic party on the planet.
There will be 244 carnival blocks until Ash Wednesday. And another 38 on the weekend after Carnival. In the city center, the traditional Cinelândia ball and the parade of carnival blocks complete the program. In Intendente Magalhães, a traditional party hotspot in the North Zone, the parades begin today (Saturday) with parades of carnival blocks. So, it's time to choose your party, put on your best costume and enjoy the festivities.
PUBLIC ORDER AND MUNICIPAL GUARD
This Friday (28/2), the Public Order Secretariat (Seop) and the Rio Municipal Guard (GM-Rio) carried out ordering, inspection and traffic actions throughout the city, focusing on the South Zone and the Center – including the Sambadrome – due to the start of the Série Ouro parades and the Street Carnival festivities, with emphasis on the inspection of blocks.
During the operations, agents seized hundreds of irregular products, such as various beverages and glass bottles, the sale of which is prohibited for security reasons. In addition, other structures were seized, such as two cargo carts.
The SEOP teams inspected 71 beach vendors, resulting in 28 fines for sand subdivision, fencing off the shore and other irregularities. Additionally, around 265 fines were issued for illegal parking of vehicles and other infractions, and 47 removals were carried out.
Maria da Penha Patrol guards took a suspect to the police station after being caught red-handed committing domestic and family violence against a woman at the Sambadrome. The operation was supported by military police officers and the aggressor even attacked the municipal guards and police officers during the arrest.
Municipal Guard teams also worked to break up 19 riots during the block parades.
SEOP and GM-Rio have made 923 agents available per day for urban planning, street vendor inspections and preventive patrols on Sapucaí and Estrada Intendente Magalhães. The teams also work to monitor illegal parking; regulate traffic; inspect taxis in the pockets (Afonso Cavalcanti and Marquês de Pombal streets), ride-hailing cars and supplementary transportation. There are also teams working with Ronda Maria da Penha, with preventive actions and awareness-raising regarding violence against women.
CET-RIO
On the first night of the parades at the Sambadrome, no significant impacts were recorded on traffic around the Samba Walkway. After the blockades were implemented, traffic jams were only recorded on some routes towards the Sambadrome, between 20 and 23 pm, such as Viaduto Trinta e Um de Março and Rua Itapiru, due to the increase in the number of people arriving to watch or participate in the parades. The blockades were implemented as scheduled.
To facilitate the movement of the floats and ensure better traffic flow, 49 traffic light arms were lowered, 22 changes were made to the signal programming, 3 maintenance calls were answered and 20 fixed variable message panels were used to inform drivers.
This Saturday morning, traffic jams were reported around the Samba Walkway and nearby streets due to delays in the closing of the Série Ouro parades. The movement of the public leaving and the dispersal of the floats impacted the reopening of the roads and traffic flow in the morning.
Also for this Saturday, an increase in traffic is expected at the accesses to the Rio Niterói Bridge and around the bus station, due to the volume of vehicles leaving and arriving in the city due to the long holiday.
CET-Rio has implemented a special traffic plan in the city center and on the main access roads to ensure road safety and traffic flow in the parade areas. The operation involves 250 traffic operators per day, including CET-Rio agents, the Municipal Guard and supporters, focused on preventing illegal parking, organizing intersections and carrying out the necessary roadblocks.
In addition, 19 trailers, 43 motorcycles and 25 operational vehicles are available to clear the roads. Traffic is being closely monitored by the Rio Operations Center (COR).
TRANSPORT
The Municipal Department of Transportation has scheduled a special operation for the public to travel to the Sambadrome, in the city center, and to Estrada Intendente Magalhães, in the North Zone. Buses, BRT, VLT, Metro and Supervia are scheduled to operate during the early hours of the morning, and taxis will operate at pick-up points around the Sambadrome.
The operation of night bus transport services serving the Sambadrome region has been reinforced, with the option of integration with the Gentileza Terminal: Lines 104 / SN104 (Gentileza Terminal x São Conrado) and SN309 (Gentileza Terminal x Alvorada), with a stop on the side lane of Avenida Presidente Vargas, towards Praça da Bandeira.
The BRT will be operating 24 hours a day during Carnival. To get to the Sambadrome via Gentileza Terminal, the public can connect with the VLT or lines 104/SN104 (Gentileza Terminal x São Conrado) and SN309 (Gentileza Terminal x Alvorada).
To get to Intendente Magalhães, the public should use the Campinho or Pinto Teles stations, which will have special opening hours. The return trip, after the parades, should be made via the Paulo da Portela Terminal, starting at 4 am, or the Madureira – Manaceia station, open 24 hours.
From last night until March 4th, and also on March 8th, taxi access to the blocked areas of the Sambadrome will be as follows: Blockade starts at 19pm; until 20pm, released for all taxis with passengers (for disembarking); from 20pm until the end of the blockade: only Taxi.Rio accredited with QR Code; Special taxis for people with disabilities can access the blocked area without restriction.
Even-numbered sectors – Rio Taxi Stand (accredited) – Afonso Cavalcanti Street, corner of Laura de Araújo Street. Odd-numbered sectors – Regular Taxi Stand – Marquês de Pombal Street, corner of Frei Caneca Street.
During Carnival, MetrôRio will operate until 23:59 p.m. on Wednesday (5/3). For the Champions Parade (8/3), it will operate from 5 a.m. on 8/3 (Saturday) to 23 p.m. on 9/3 (Sunday). To access the Sambadrome, for even-numbered sectors, disembark at Praça Onze station (concentration at the Post Office Building). For odd-numbered sectors, disembark at Central do Brasil station (concentration at the Balança Mas Não Cai Building and Terreirão do Samba).
Supervia, to guarantee the mobility of revelers during Carnival, prepared a special scheme with extra trips throughout the day and in the early hours of the morning, serving the branches of Japeri, Santa Cruz (including Deodoro), Saracuruna and Belford Roxo.
The Central do Brasil Station will be open 24 hours a day until the last train on Wednesday (5/3). During the early hours of the morning, all other stations will only be open for passengers to disembark.
Between Saturday (1/3) and Wednesday (5/3), trains will operate using the Saturday timetable as a reference for the entire operation. Extra trips will be made throughout the day, according to demand, and there will be additional departures from Central do Brasil in the late evening. On Thursday and Friday after Carnival (6 and 7/3), trains will operate according to the weekday timetable, with adjustments according to demand.
HEALTH
The special care scheme set up by the Municipal Health Department (SMS) at the Sambadrome, with six medical stations, treated 283 people from 19 pm on February 28 to 8 am on March 1. Of these, 25 needed to be transferred to hospitals in the network. Most of the patients had trauma from falls, cuts or sprains, without serious injuries; and exogenous intoxication due to excessive alcohol consumption.
The SMS structure has 32 beds, seven of which are for advanced support, and 12 hydration chairs, distributed across the six posts. In total, 200 professionals are involved in the operation and 16 ambulances are available with advanced support (mobile ICU).
Health surveillance
The Health Surveillance Superintendence operates at the Sambadrome with a team from the Strategic Health Surveillance Information Center (CIEVS-Rio) monitoring care at medical posts in order to detect possible events of relevance to public health. On the first night of the 2025 parades, 11 occurrences of compulsory notification were identified, but no records of diseases or conditions of epidemiological interest were recorded.
Health Surveillance Actions
The Municipal Institute of Health Surveillance, Zoonosis Surveillance and Agricultural Inspection (Ivisa-Rio) made 55 visits to food services, medical care stations, ambulances, stands and facilities at the Sambadrome on the first night. Three infraction reports were issued for lack of cleanliness in food handling or facilities, inadequate storage and/or labeling. In total, 34 food samples were collected for analysis by the Municipal Public Health Laboratory (LASP).
COMLURB
Comlurb collected 27,5 tons of waste after the first night of parades at the Sambadrome, on the evening of this Friday (28/02), with the presentation of the first schools of the Gold Series, being 1,9 tons of potentially recyclable materials and 5,2 tons from the outside and surroundings.
During the pre-cleaning of the Samba Runway, in the days leading up to the official opening of the parades, 15,5 tons of waste were removed. The street blocks that took place on Friday generated 18,2 tons of waste, with highlights for Escorrega, Mas Não Cai, with 4,2 tons; and Bloco das Carmelitas, with 2,4 tons. During the official pre-Carnival, which began on February 1st, 250 tons of waste were removed from the street blocks, totaling 268,2 tons of waste as of this Friday.
Since the beginning of pre-Carnival until this Friday, Comlurb removed 311,2 tons of waste at all points of the party throughout the city.
For this Carnival, Comlurb has mobilized around 8.500 street cleaners to all the party spots, including: Sambadrome, street blocks, Intendente Magalhães and popular dances. The cleaning work is being carried out with more than 200 motorized vehicles. The Company has made available around 12.500 240-liter containers and large-capacity 1.200-liter containers so that partygoers can dispose of their waste correctly.
Comlurb's mega cleaning operation is carried out before, during and after the parade of the samba schools and blocks, at all points of the festival, on the main roads and on the access and adjacent streets, with mechanized sweeping, washing, emptying of waste bins and containers and waste removal services. This year, the Company has 20 thousand liters of soap and 5 thousand liters of eucalyptus essence, more than double the amount used last year, to be used after the hydraulic cleaning and in the sprayers, mainly in the chemical toilet area, leaving the festivities with a fragrant scent. Comlurb also cleans the medical stations set up in the parade area of the mega blocks, in the city center.
SOCIAL ASSISTANCE
On the first night of parades at Marquês de Sapucaí, this Friday (28/02), the Municipal Department of Social Welfare (SMAS) worked to distribute 239 identification bracelets to children and teenagers at the Sambadrome. This measure is important to ensure the safety of children and teenagers during Carnival.
On another front, social workers and social educators from SMAS welcomed 50 sons and daughters of street vendors who worked at the Sambadrome and surrounding area. The service of the community space, offered at the Rachel de Queiroz Children's Education Space (EDI) on Avenida Presidente Vargas, is a way of combating child labor and giving street vendors peace of mind to work, while their children up to 12 years old eat, rest and have fun in recreational and cultural activities.
The actions are part of the SMAS Carnival campaign: “Respect my samba, childhood and our rights: protection is the general block”.
WOMEN
The Special Secretariat for Women's Policies and Care of the Rio City Hall held a service in the city yesterday (28/2). The teams from the Safer Carnival for Women campaign will be present during the carnival days at Sapucaí, on Estrada Intendente Magalhães, in the North Zone, and at the main street parties. The goal is to support partygoers, tourists and workers, in addition to raising awareness about violence and sexual harassment. The department has tripled the number of specialized professionals to offer immediate support and assistance to women in cases of harassment or violence, as well as emergency referrals, through a partnership with L'Oréal Paris. Last year, there were 88 mobilizers; this year, there are 270.
CONSERVATION
The General Coordination of Special Operations of the Municipal Department of Conservation and Public Services cleaned 48 drains and unblocked the branches of Marquês de Sapucaí, after the first night of parades. There were no emergency calls during the early hours of the morning.
CONSUMER PROTECTION
The Department of Consumer Protection and Defense, through Procon Carioca, carried out an inspection of the establishments in Sapucaí, on this first day of the Série Ouro samba school parade. Of the 23 locations visited by the inspectors, 22 received instructions for adjustments due to problems. Among them, lack of prices on products, Consumer Protection Code, temporary authorization permit, health licensing, certificates (pest control, potability of water, approval by the Fire Department) and the failure to open the doors of one of the boxes at the scheduled time.
PROGRAMME
SATURDAY (1/3)
Parades at the Marquis of Sapucaí
With a total of 16 schools, the Gold Series of the League of Samba Schools (Liga RJ) officially opened the parades at the Sambadrome on Avenida Marquês de Sapucaí, this Friday (28/2), with the presentation of eight schools. Today, Saturday (1/3) another eight will perform. The main group for access to the main parade, the Gold Series brings together traditional schools, such as Tradição, Acari, Vigário Geral, Unidos de Bangu, Porto da Pedra and São Clemente.
GOLD SERIES
SATURDAY- 1/3
21pm Recreational Association Samba School Tradition
22pm Acari
23h Vicar General
00h United of Bangu
1h Porto da Pedra
2h Saint Clement
3h Niteroi
4h Serrano Empire
Samba Terreirão
The Terreirão do Samba concert schedule keeps everyone entertained. Today, the party continues in full swing, with Dudu Nobre leading the night. The audience will be able to enjoy concerts by samba icons, as well as highlights from the new generation! All this at a popular price: R$20 (half-price or solidarity ticket, with 1kg of non-perishable food).
The gates of the most democratic and iconic samba venue always open at 20pm. To make things easier, partygoers can purchase their tickets in advance through the platform: www.bilheteriadigital.com.br, but if you prefer, you can also buy them at the door. Terreirão ticket office opening hours: from 20/02, from 12pm to 19pm, and on event days, from 17pm to 3am.
Saturday - 1/3
20pm – 20:30pm – DJ FM O Dia
20:30pm – 21:30pm – Existence Group
22pm – 23:20pm – Dudu Nobre
23:50pm – 0:50am – RDN Group
1:20 – 2:30 – Renan Oliveira
3am – 4:30am – Cashew Down
4:30am – 5am – DJ FM O Dia
SERVICE:
Samba Terreirão
Location: Benedito Hipólito Street 66, Eleven Square
Tickets: from R$ 20, on sale on the website and www.bilheteriadigital.com.br and at the Terreirão Ticket Office
Cinelandia Dances
In addition to the street parties and the spectacular parades of Sapucaí, there is another option for partying that has become a tradition in the city: the Cinelândia dances. On the stage set up in front of the steps of the City Hall, various artists and an orchestra will be partying with a selection of carnival themes and classic marches during the four days of programming! There will also be the Original Folião Contest on Tuesday.
Check out the schedule for the traditional Cinelândia ball:
ARTIST SCHEDULE
19:30pm START DJ/SPEAKER
20:00 pm to 20:30 pm TUPY ORCHESTRA
20:30pm to 20:50pm SONIA DELPHINO
20:50pm to 21:10pm ALBERTO GINO
21:10pm to 21:30pm OSMAR DO BRAGUE
21:30pm to 21:50pm REGINALDO BESSA
21:50pm to 22:10pm TOM DA BAHIA
22:10pm to 22:30pm BREAK ANNOUNCER/DJ
22:30pm to 22:50pm MARCIO GOMES
22:50pm to 23:10pm ELLEN DE LIMA
23:10pm to 23:30pm GOTTSHA
23:30pm to 23:50pm LUIS CESAR
23:50pm to 1am CLOSING TUPY ORCHESTRA
Blocks of rocking and plot of Avenida Chile and Intendente Magalhães
The city is full of fun in every corner, from street parties to parades at the Sambadrome. The party never stops! And, straying from the traditional itineraries, Rio's Carnival is reinforced with a varied program in downtown Rio, with parades on Avenida Chile, and in the North Zone, at the famous Intendente Magalhães.
Check out the order of the Intendente Magalhães parades below:
Saturday (1/3) – Plot Blocks Group 1
20pm Independent New America
20:40pm Are you going to block it? Never!
21:20 pm Bishop's Comets
22pm Bridge Union
22:20pm New Horizon
23pm United of the Bandeirantes
23:40 pm United Alto Boa Vista
00:20 Rebirth Vaz Lobo
1h Gramacho Empire
1h20 From the Belly
Check out the order of the parades on Av. Chile below:
Saturday (1/3) – Federation of Blocks Group 2
20pm United Moc. of Mineira
20:30pm Partygoers Rocha Miranda
21pm Canary Orange Trees
21:30 pm Tinguá Friends
22h Resistants Lapa
22:30pm Drink but don't fall
23pm China Block
23:30 pm Roots of Tijuca
00h United Youth of Manguariba
00:30 Breath of the Jaguar
street blocks
To see the complete schedule of the bloco events, with date, time and route, simply download the Blocos do Rio 2025 app, available on all digital platforms. The tool is free and works by geolocation. For more information, simply access the official website, which, in addition to the program, presents news, galleries and the most up-to-date information on Carnaval de Rua Rio 2025.
Important Recommendations
– Preferably use public transport (train or subway)
– If you are boarding at Santos Dumont Airport and Rio Bus Station, try to arrive early.
– Avoid driving in areas where there will be street parties and floats
– Look for alternative routes. There are a large number of closures around the city, with the movement of floats, blocks and processions.
– During Carnival, Rio City Hall monitors the concentration of people in the Lapa region, however, no traffic closures are planned in the area.
– Respect the parking bans and pay attention to the restricted hours, as trailers are circulating around the city.
– To ensure the safety of partygoers, we inform you that crossing must be done exclusively in the pedestrian crossing and always with extra care.
– It is very important that the instructions of traffic agents and all signage installed in the area are respected.
– Residents who have a private car and a parking space and who need to access the closed area of the Sambadrome must do so via Largo do Estácio, always carrying proof of residence (electricity, gas, telephone bill) in their name.
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