Known as the greatest spectacle on the planet, Carnival has become one of the most diverse and inclusive cultural events in the world.

Originally linked to Catholicism, the festival took new directions in the 20th century in France and today, as well as being Brazil's biggest popular event, it is a space for democracy, freedom of expression and welcoming all people.

Originally linked to Catholicism, the festival took new directions in the 20th century in France and today, as well as being Brazil's biggest popular event, it is a space for democracy, freedom of expression and welcoming all people.

The origin of Carnival

Even in the years before Christ (BC), manifestations that more closely resemble Carnival - parties full of food, drink, dancing and wearing costumes - can be found in places like Greece, Egypt and ancient Rome. The reasons were diverse, such as celebrating the fertility of the soil, the arrival of summer or in reference to pagan gods, but the celebrations already had in common a characteristic that is well known today: the union of peoples.

In the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church adopted Carnival and made it official in its calendar. At the time, the festival didn't last just a few days, but almost the entire period between Christmas and the beginning of Lent. Today, the celebration takes place 47 days before Easter, between February and March, and lasts just five days.

Carnival in Brazil

In Brazil, the festival, which arrived in the colonial period, influenced by the Portuguese, is today one of the most popular in the country, where it has had its origins reframed, influenced by the customs of people of African and native origin.

The Brazilian Carnival, which began with the entrudo, grew and then ranches, corsos and samba schools emerged. This transformation has made the festival a more democratic space, a symbol of diversity and political and economic sociability. It's an occasion in which age, sexual orientation and body don't matter. It's a time when people put aside their chores and get together to party, and it's also one of the most important for the country's economy, which receives thousands of tourists every year.

The combination of several factors is what helps make Brazil's Carnival one of the greatest on the planet. These include partnerships and incentives from private companies.

In 2025, Neoenergia teamed up with Brazil's first Afro bloc, Ilê Aiyê, to celebrate its 50th anniversary. Among the eight cultural and social initiatives promoted by the institution are the Black Music Festival, the 44th Night of Black Beauty and the Carnival parade. The aim of the partnership is to support diversity and promote social inclusion.

Street blocks: diversity and inclusion

Known as a party for everyone, Carnival is increasingly becoming a place of acceptance. Every year, more street blocks appear, aimed at different types of musical tastes, groups in society and adapted to their places of origin.

In addition to the blocks aimed at LGBTQIAP+ people, the festival also has blocks that seek to promote equality and the importance of the presence of people with disabilities in all environments. Through adapted toilets, Libras interpreters and audio description, revellers and their companions also enjoy accessibility ramps and obstacle-free areas, designed to ensure the circulation of people in wheelchairs or with reduced mobility.

Samba schools: power, legacy and resistance

Samba schools were founded in the 1920s in Rio de Janeiro. Created by low-income groups who lived in the suburbs, favelas and neighborhoods of Rio de Janeiro, this movement appeared, according to historian Luiz Antonio Simas, along with the struggle of blacks for acceptance in urban society, at the same time as the state was trying to discipline the cultural manifestations of the descendants of enslaved people.

With their diverse themes, the samba schools, strong movements of freedom of expression, struggle and resistance, have strengthened over the years through a legacy passed down from grandparents to parents and children. In their plots, they deal mainly with African culture, but also with politics and tributes to important figures in Brazilian society, along with emblematic costumes and personalities, marking the history of Carnival in parades at local sambadromes.

Carnival around the world

Carnival is present on five of the six continents and although it is adapted to each region, with different objectives and characteristics, the celebration has in common playfulness, music, the use of costumes and parades.

• In Africa, the most prominent festival is in Benin and celebrates Our Lord of Bonfim in January;
• In Asia, the most popular is in India, where the Ganesh Chaturthi Festival takes place in September;
• In Europe, the festivities in France, Spain and Italy (the famous masked balls in Venice) stand out;
• In Oceania, Australia, the Sydney Carnival is a festival marked by the celebration of the pride of the LGBTQIAP+ community;
• In the Americas, with the exception of Brazil, the celebrations in Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Trinidad and Tobago and the United States stand out.