Rio de Janeiro's New Year's Eve celebration on Copacabana Beach is called Réveillon.
Réveillon is a French-derived Portuguese term used in Brazil and other places for a New Year's Eve celebration or dinner. Rio's event is one of the world's largest public parties, drawing crowds to the Copacabana waterfront for concerts, fireworks, and midnight celebrations. Many attendees wear white, a color associated with peace and renewal, although clothing choices are not a universal requirement.
Fireworks are launched from boats offshore so that the display can be viewed along the beach without placing the main firing points in the dense crowd. The exact program, crowd size, performers, and fireworks duration vary from year to year.
Réveillon is sometimes confused with Carnaval because both are major Brazilian celebrations involving music and large crowds. Carnaval generally takes place later, before Lent, while Réveillon specifically marks the turn from December 31 to January 1. Religious offerings and traditions connected with Afro-Brazilian faiths are also part of some participants' observances.