The New Year’s Eve celebration at Rio de Janeiro’s Copacabana Beach is called Réveillon.
Rio’s Réveillon is one of Brazil’s best-known public celebrations. Large crowds gather along Copacabana’s shoreline for concerts, religious and cultural traditions, and a major fireworks display over the Atlantic Ocean. Many participants wear white, a custom associated with peace and good fortune.
The Portuguese word “Réveillon” is used in Brazil for New Year’s Eve festivities and comes from French usage connected with a late celebratory meal. In Rio, the beach gathering has grown into a large civic event involving transport planning, temporary stages, security arrangements, and hotel celebrations.
Réveillon is sometimes mistaken for Brazil’s Carnival. Carnival is a separate festival held before Lent, while Réveillon specifically marks the transition from December 31 to January 1.