Copacabana Beach is famous for New Year's Eve fireworks and huge crowds of white-clad revelers.
The celebration takes place along Rio de Janeiro's Copacabana waterfront and is commonly called Réveillon. Participants often wear white, a color associated with peace, and many make offerings or honor traditions connected with Afro-Brazilian religions, especially Iemanjá, the orisha associated with the sea.
The fireworks are launched from barges offshore, allowing the display to be viewed along the broad beach. Concerts and other performances typically accompany the midnight program. The event has repeatedly attracted crowds numbering in the millions, making it one of the largest annual public celebrations in the world.
Copacabana should not be confused with Ipanema, another famous Rio beach. The New Year's Eve gathering is specifically centered on Copacabana's beach and surrounding neighborhood.