Réveillon is the Brazilian New Year’s Eve celebration associated with wearing white on Copacabana Beach.
In Brazil, Réveillon refers to New Year’s Eve festivities, especially the huge public celebration in Rio de Janeiro. Participants commonly wear white, a color associated with peace and renewal. Crowds gather along Copacabana Beach for concerts, celebrations, and a large fireworks display over the water.
The event also reflects Afro-Brazilian and coastal traditions, including offerings to Iemanjá, a sea-associated orixá in Afro-Brazilian religious practice. Some celebrants jump seven waves and make wishes, although customs differ among individuals and regions. Réveillon is a French-derived term used in Portuguese for the New Year celebration; it does not name Brazil’s annual Carnival. Rio’s Copacabana event is especially famous, but Réveillon celebrations occur throughout Brazil.