The Traveller's Magazine
You can still expect a lot of glitter, glamour, bang and boom at this year’s festivities at Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadromo but Brazil is tightening its purse strings ahead of the 2016 Olympic Games by downsizing carnivals across the country and cancelling others.
Not even the sacred tradition of Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival can escape the financial crisis in Brazil as the country looks ahead to next year’s Summer Olympic Games. The country’s annual iconic event is usually a dazzling spectacle of choreographed dances, floats, and two whole days of dawn till dusk partying.
This year, however, things at Carnival will be looking a little different as the country dips into a financial recession. The country’s biggest TV broadcaster, TV Globo, has already pulled out of its role to screen the Parade of Champions and has also made other cuts to its normal carnival schedule.
Meanwhile the country’s federal government is taking care of the Olympic preparations amidst financial difficulties, water shortages and the domino-effects of an oil company’s corruption scandal. Let’s just say that according to Brazil, Carnival is not a top priority for 2015! Other parts of Brazil are also feeling the pinch, with official carnival events in twenty cities in the states of São Paulo and Minas Gerais cancelled due to power outages and water shortages.
There also won’t be any parade in the capital city of Brasilia.
Already bought your flights to Rio for the party? Don’t worry. There will still be celebrations at the Sambadromo, there will still be thousands of dancers competing for the top spot, there will still be parties in the streets all night long… it’ll just be a little more DIY than sponsored by mega-companies.
Did you really think a little political strife and lack of funding would get the Brazilian’s spirits down? NO WAY! The party continues!
