Rio de Janeiro’s 2018 New Year’s Eve Program Announced

By Beatriz Miranda, Contributing Reporter

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Last Friday, November 24th, Rio’s City Hall announced the program for Copacabana’s 2018 New Year’s Eve party. Considered one of the best and biggest New Year’s Eve celebrations in the world, the free festivity includes ten musical attractions and seventeen minutes of fireworks.

The local government estimates that, on the upcoming December 31st, Copacabana beach will host approximately two million people, including tourists and locals. As usual, the stage will be located in front of the traditional Copacabana Palace Hotel.

Exclusively composed of Brazilian attractions, the line-up will bring to the stage DJ Tucho, singer Ana Petkovic (daughter of former Flamengo player Petkovic), funk singer Naldo Benny, pagode singer Belo, reggae group Cidade Negra, pop-rock artist Frejat and the samba schools Portela and Mocidade.

In addition, the Brazilian Simphonic Orchestra will play during the fireworks, and pop and funk singer Anitta will be starring as the party’s main attraction after midnight.

Inspired by Brazilian composer Gilberto Gil’s “Aquele Abraço”, popular song that pays tribute to Rio de Janeiro, the 2018 New Year’s Eve will also bring plenty of novelties. For the first time, there will be drones overflying Copacabana beach and broadcasting the fireworks’ spectacle through a brand new perspective.

What’s more, there will be thirty sound towers disposed along the beach (fourteen more than last year) and ten LED displays exhibiting the spectacle.

“This New Year’s Eve will be brilliant. It is one of the biggest outdoor parties in the world, and we are working everyday to make it even bigger,” said Marcelo Alves, Riotur president.

Those who will not be able to attend to Rio’s New Year’s Eve party will have a second chance on January 6th, when thirteen samba schools will participate in a parade on Copacabana beach, promoting a true “Carnival warm-up”. This event is part of “Rio de Janeiro a Janeiro”, a project created by the City Hall aimed aim at stimulating the tourism in Rio.

“For this project, we managed to articulate the greatest entrepreneurs from all sectors, like fashion, technology and culinary. I am positive that Rio will embrace this new calendar. Tourism is a key industry in Rio that employs many people, and we will live this dream with Rio de Janeiro,” says Ricardo Amaral, one of this project’s creator.

Besides Copacabana, Rio’s City Hall will also be hosting New Year’s Eve celebrations with shows and fireworks in Barra da Tijuca, Flamengo, Piscinão de Ramos and Penha.