Copacabana Beach hosts Rio de Janeiro's famous New Year's Eve fireworks and millions of white-clad revelers.
The celebration takes place along Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana shoreline, where large crowds gather for concerts, ceremonies, and a midnight fireworks display launched from offshore barges. Wearing white is a widely observed custom, often associated with peace and renewal. Many participants also make offerings to Yemanjá, an important figure in Afro-Brazilian religious traditions, by placing flowers or other offerings in the sea.
Copacabana's broad beach and distinctive crescent-shaped bay make it a natural setting for a huge public event. Hotels and apartment buildings along Avenida Atlântica provide a dramatic backdrop, while temporary stages and crowd-control systems transform the waterfront for the night.
The celebration is sometimes described as simply “Rio Carnival,” but that is a mistake. Carnival is a separate festival held before Lent, whereas Réveillon is Brazil's New Year's Eve celebration. Rio's event is also distinct from São Paulo's New Year's gathering on Avenida Paulista.