Watch the parade, be part of the show.
An experience that will be remembered for ever!
 It`s helpful to understand that parade in Portuguese is desfile. It's a serious contest among different neighborhoods, divided into three leagues that vie for top ranking following the annual carnival parades.
Preparations for the big Rio Samba Parade start in the year preceding Carnaval, with each samba school counts with thousands of supporters to make it happen. Months before the parade, a theme is chosen at every samba school. Then, after a fierce competition, the song is picked. Last, the costumes and floats are secretly created by locals inside their communities
The rehearsals take place by beginning of December - three months before the big samba parade - with carnavalescos - the school "architect" - choreographing the dances and the movements. By the same time, samba songs are released, recorded and sent to record stores for the entire population to get familiarized with.
The Special Group is formed by twelve samba schools, with six schools parading in each of the two first nights - Sunday March 06 and Monday March 07. These two parades have a very similar setting and importance. A drawing conducted by the organizers determines which schools parade when.
The winner and 5 runners-up from the Special Group make part of the Winners' Parade the Saturday after Carnival, March 12 this year.
The Access Group is composed by 12 samba schools, which all of them parading on Saturday March 05. The winner and the runner up are promoted to parade with the Special Group at the following year. The two less qualified also descend to Group B, which parades on Thursday March 04.
Full Schedule for the 2011 Rio Carnival Samba Parades at the Sambodromo
| |
| Special Group Parade - The parade of the parades. |
| Parade |
Date and Time |
Schools |
SPECIAL GROUP
First Parade
6 out of 12 schools |
Sunday
March 6th
9 PM to 4 AM |
São Clemente
Imperatriz
Mocidade
Unidos da Tijuca
Vila Isabel
Mangueira |
SPECIAL GROUP
Second Parade
6 out of 12 schools |
Monday
March 7th
9 Pm to 4 AM |
União da Ilha
Salgueiro
Portela
Grande Rio
Porto da Pedra
Beija-Flor |
| |
| Access Group - Second Tier of Samba Schools |
Access Group or
Group A
11 schools |
Saturday
March 5th
8 PM to 6 AM |
GRES. Alegria da Zona Sul
GRES. Renascer de Jacarepaguá
GRES. Unidos do Viradouro
GRES. Acadêmicos de Santa Cruz
GRES. Império da Tijuca
GRES. Inocentes de Belfort Roxo
GRES. Acadêmicos do Cubango
GRES. Estácio de Sá
GRES. Império Serrano
GRES. Acadêmicos da Rocinha
GRES. Caprichosos de Pilares
|
| |
| Winners' Parade - Champion and 5 runner-up from Special Group |
Winner Parade
Winner and 5 runner-up Schools
|
Saturday
March 12th
9 PM to 6 AM |
6th place - 9 PM
5th place - 10:05 PM
4th place - 11:10 PM
3rd place - 00:15 AM
Runnerup - 01:20 AM
Champion - 02:25 AM |
| |
| Other Parades with lesser interest for the tourist |
Group B - 14 schools parade on Tuesday March 8th, from 7 PM.
Children's Parade - 18 junior samba schools parade on Friday March 04, from 5 PM.
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