At Rio de Janeiro's New Year's Eve celebration, Copacabana Beach is famous for its huge midnight crowd.
Rio's Réveillon celebration is centered on the Copacabana waterfront, where crowds gather for music, fireworks, and celebrations that continue through the night. Many attendees wear white, a custom widely associated with peace and good fortune, and some make offerings connected with Afro-Brazilian religious traditions.
Fireworks are launched over the Atlantic, often from barges positioned offshore. The broad beach and long beachfront avenue allow the event to accommodate an exceptionally large public gathering, making Copacabana one of the most recognizable New Year's Eve locations.
Copacabana is sometimes confused with nearby Ipanema because both are famous Rio beaches. The iconic mass New Year's Eve gathering and offshore fireworks are specifically associated with Copacabana Beach.