Which beach hosts Rio de Janeiro's best-known New Year's Eve fireworks and celebrations?

Copacabana Beach hosts Rio de Janeiro's best-known New Year's Eve fireworks and celebrations.

The celebration takes place along Rio de Janeiro's broad Atlantic waterfront and is known in Portuguese as Réveillon de Copacabana. Large crowds gather in white clothing, while fireworks are launched from boats offshore and viewed from the beach and surrounding promenade. Live music and public festivities extend the event beyond the midnight display.

White clothing is widely associated with the celebration because it is connected with peace and Afro-Brazilian religious traditions, although visitors wear many colors. The fireworks are staged over the water, which allows spectators along the long beach to see the display from many points.

Copacabana is a neighborhood and beach in Rio de Janeiro, not a separate city. It is also different from Ipanema, another famous Rio beach farther southwest. The New Year's gathering has become one of Brazil's most internationally recognized public celebrations.