Brazil’s New Year’s Eve celebration is called Réveillon, especially the huge beach party held on Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach.
The word Réveillon comes from French and is used in Brazil for the New Year’s Eve festivities. Rio’s celebration is famous for large crowds, concerts, fireworks, and ceremonies on Copacabana Beach. The event has become one of the world’s best-known public New Year celebrations.
Many attendees wear white, a color associated in Brazilian popular tradition with peace and renewal, and some honor Afro-Brazilian religious traditions by making offerings to Iemanjá, a sea deity. Fireworks are launched over the water, creating the event’s signature spectacle.
Réveillon is broader than Rio’s party: Brazilians use the term for New Year’s Eve celebrations throughout the country. It should not be confused with Carnaval, which is a separate festival held later.