The best official Carnival "blocos" of 2025

If you come across costumes of kittens, lions, and other wild felines, you’ll know: the revelers are probably on their way to or coming from the "Amigos da Onça" bloc. Created in 2012, it was secret for a few years before officially entering the city’s calendar in 2019. The parade at Praia do Flamengo features humorous original songs and covers of bands like Mamonas Assassinas, as well as sections of dancers and stilt walkers.

Praia do Flamengo promenade, 3, Flamengo Saturday (01.03), at 7am

It was created in 2005 by residents around Praça São Salvador who wanted to escape the large crowds. The idea is to keep the fun family-friendly, so there will be kids and pets everywhere. The band takes a short route playing traditional carnival marches before returning to the famous and charming bandstand, where they stay for the rest of the afternoon.

Rua São Salvador, 56, Flamengo Tuesday (04.03), at 9am

The band was born in 1964, in the neighborhood of Vinícius de Moraes, as a result of the meeting between members of the newspaper O Pasquim. The idea was to innovate Carnival and protest against the restrictions imposed by the dictatorship, mocking the country's situation. Today, it is a Carioca Cultural Heritage and brings the party with classic carnival marches and recent hits.

Rua Gomes Carneiro, 55, Ipanema
Saturday (01.03), at 3pm

Rua Gomes Carneiro, 55, Ipanema
Tuesday (04.03), at 3pm

The name comes from the Associação Recreativa Etílica Independente Amigos da Rede do Aloísio, a little group that meets every weekend to play volleyball at Posto 12. In 2003, they decided to create a block, which started modestly on Rua Dias Ferreira and grew to attract more than 300,000 revelers to the Leblon waterfront. Today, it is one of the most traditional in the South Zone.

Avenida Delfim Moreira, Leblon
Sunday (02.03), at 7am

The Bloco do Barbas was founded in 1983 by Nei Barbosa and Nelsinho Rodrigues. The block originated from a group of friends who would gather at the Barbas restaurant in Botafogo to drink – the name of the block comes from there. The Bloco dos Barbas is a gathering of revelers with style and tradition! Its participants take to the streets of Botafogo with beards, exuding good humor and a relaxed vibe.

Rua Gen. Polidoro, 156, Botafogo
Saturday (01.03), at 11am

The block first took place in 1990, honoring the socialite Laurinda Santos Lobo, known for her legendary parties in Santa Teresa. It was formed by football enthusiasts who played in the field next to her house, and it became known for opening Carnival on Friday and closing it on Tuesday, with original songs. The name refers to the Convento das Carmelitas, which gave rise to the neighborhood, and legend has it that every year a nun jumps over the wall to join the festivities. You can probably guess which costume is most popular there!

Ladeira de Santa Teresa
Saturday (28.02), at 1pm

Largo do Curvelo
Tuesday (04.03), at 8am

This is one of those wonderful stories that only Carnival can provide. The block was born from a group of revelers who, in 2006, couldn’t find the Cordão do Boitatá. Not wanting to miss the party, they decided to create their own block. Boi Tolo is not listed on the official agenda of the City Hall, but it has gone down in Rio's history by parading for hours and hours, joining forces with other processions. Thousands of mesmerized revelers joined in, and they decided to split the starting points to create a large gathering of smaller groups throughout the day. You’ll need to keep an eye on social media, as it’s always filled with the question: “Where’s Boi Tolo?” on Carnival Sunday.

This is a community of popular culture formed by masters, educators, as well as musicians and artists. Since 2001, it has paraded through the hills of Santa Teresa, playing many traditional songs, sambas, maxixes, and frevos. It’s a massive block that attracts thousands of revelers, so be prepared for some crowded moments, but the quality of the celebration makes it worth it. If the crowd doesn’t scare you, arrive early to catch the sunrise from up high.

Rua Almirante Alexandrino, Santa Teresa.
Saturday (22.02), at 7am
Saturday (01.03), at 7am

With a remarkable repertoire and excellent musicians, the parade aims to connect the South Zone with the North Zone through culture. It has been parading since 2016, exploring new ways to occupy the streets with a lot of music, theatre, and dance. All performances are marked by questions and critiques on important issues such as racism and homophobia, always in a poetic way. This is its second year as an official street carnival block.

Avenida Meriti, 18, Vila Kosmos
Sunday (02.03), at 7am

It was created in 1997 by five friends who had no big expectations, until it became one of the largest carnival blocks in Rio, known for its musical refinement and commitment to Brazilian traditions. The repertoire mixes rhythms and tributes to great Brazilian artists, and the parade features giant puppets, stilt walkers, bumba meu boi, and banners, a beautiful sight to behold. This year, the parade will start at Rua da Assembleia, during the pre-Carnival.

Rua da Assembleia, 40a, Centro
Sunday (23.02), at 7am

Largo do Paço, Centro
Sunday (02.03), at 11am