Carnaval Salvador | Bahia, Brazil

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When most of us think of Carnival, our thoughts understandably stray toward Rio de Janeiro, which is arguably the most beautiful spectacle in the world. According to the Guiness Book of World Records, however, the largest street carnival on earth is actually held in Salvador, the capital of Brazil’s northeastern state of Bahia, and the country’s most “african” metropolitan areas with over 80% of the population being of Black African origin. The annual event consistently breaks the world record for largest street party every year with almost 2 million revelers. Every year, the city of Salvador sets aside fifteen miles of streets for six days of parades. In contrast to Rio’s more spectator-oriented celebration, where dance contests between samba schools and huge floats dominate the proceedings, its all about the music and audience participation in Salvador, where the spectators themselves, are the show. Finally, while its all about the samba in Rio, the Carnaval Salvador features many musical styles, including samba, samba-reggae, axé, and others, with the music usually beginning daily as early as noon and often running until 7 or 8 the next morning.

One of the most unique aspects of carnaval Salvador style are the “trio eletricos”, highly decorated sem-trailers with live performing bands with incredible sound systems on top. They are called “trios” because the first one (in 1950) was an old car (’29 Ford) with a driver and two musicians in the back. The trios form the nucleus of the “blocos,” big groups of musicians, dancers and hangers-on who gather around the vast truck-driven mega-sound systems. Led usually by a band and a charismatic singer, the blocos dance and parade through the streets for hours. Anyone can pay to join a bloco, after which one is given an abadá (a getup consisting of a t-shirt and shorts, usually), allowing one to parade with the bloco inside the cordão (rope carried by security personnel) which surrounds each trio. These processions make long looping trips along the three parade circuits, drawing huge crowds, often referred to as “pipoca”, or popcorn, because they are jumping up and down and dancing like mad!

The Brazilian Carnival, or Carnaval (in portuguese) is held four days before Ash Wednesday, the day of fasting and repentance that marks the beginning of Lent. This year’s Salvador carnival begins on Thursday, the 19th of February, and ends at midday on Wednesday, February 25th.

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