New Year fireworks on the main Brazilian beach Copacabana
Of course, we are all used to the Russian New Year – noisy parties, tickets to New Year's tree events, which are not so easy to get, tickets to The Nutcracker – a fairy tale we loved since childhood, champagne, snow on fir branches…
But it turns out that Brazilians are also known masters at throwing festivities, and nothing human is alien to them. For example, – the good old New Year. This celebration gathers millions of tourists in Rio. From all corners of the world they fly and arrive in anticipation of something colorful, bright, even expressive. It can be said with certainty that for us and our compatriots, celebrating the New Year in the capital of Brazil would be an unforgettable event, unlike what we are used to.
And, yes, by the way, forget about Grandfather Frosts. They cannot be there in principle. Latin American January is the epitome of a summer month with all the consequences: sun, heat, sea, beach.
"Well, what kind of New Year is that in such conditions, and what about the fir tree?" someone will ask. There will be a fir tree for you. And such that you won't see anything like it anywhere else – a floating, 82-meter tree, decorated with 2.5 million colorful lights. There's only one 'but' – it's artificial. They start assembling it almost two months before the holiday. Huge pontoon blocks are brought to Lake Rodrigo de Freitas (don't read aloud, you'll twist your tongue), lowered onto the water, then metal structures are assembled, after which powerful generators are connected. This work takes at least 6 weeks, but it's worth it. The spectacle will be unforgettable!
In general, a long preparation for the holiday is characteristic of this country. Not only the main tree of Brazil, but also its little sisters are decorated by Brazilians as early as October. At the same time, various illuminations and decorations in traditional style appear on the streets of cities. It feels like Brazilians' whole life is a celebration, and its anticipation gives them special pleasure. All this beauty lasts until the end of January, when it is replaced by the famous February carnival. Don't you want to become a Brazilian yet?
But the fir tree is not the most important thing in the Brazilian version of the New Year. Rio de Janeiro is a coastal city, and its landmark is the world-famous Copacabana beach, where the main part of the celebration unfolds. A grand fireworks display is prepared in the Atlantic Ocean bay. Pyrotechnic equipment is installed on extensive rafts, charges are prepared – a colorful show should be remembered for the whole year! But its colors will illuminate the sky and the water surface only at midnight.
New Year, by the way, is more of a Brazilian holiday than ours. The year-round high temperature of these latitudes contributed to the development of nightlife when the heat subsides. And New Year, as is known, is celebrated all night long.
So, on December 31, closer to sunset, the awakening begins. People take to the streets, DJs start livening up the crowd, which they do excellently. Colorful fireworks burst here and there. That night, a tourist must know exactly where they want to be and must be there in advance, because after sunset, traffic in the city stops.
More than a million people, all dressed in white, flock to Copacabana beach. Most bring candles and small wooden boats. New Year turns into a mysterious ancient ritual. Hundreds of thousands of little lights are lit, and their short Atlantic journey begins. For several tens of minutes, the bay stirs with a sea of lights. It is believed that the longer your candle burns, the greater the chance that your wish will come true. And finally, exactly at midnight, over the sound of the surf and the firework display in the bay, 'Feliz Ano Novo!' echoes across the entire beach. In Brazilian, that means 'Happy New Year, comrades!'