Banda de Ipanema is the Rio Carnival street group founded in 1965 by Albino Pinheiro and associated with Ipanema.
Banda de Ipanema was created in Rio de Janeiro in 1965 by Albino Pinheiro, along with other cultural figures connected to the neighborhood’s artistic and bohemian life. It became known for its irreverent street procession, musicians, colorful costumes, and inclusive atmosphere. The group helped maintain the visibility of traditional street Carnival during a period when Rio’s celebrations were increasingly associated with organized samba-school parades.
The name refers directly to Ipanema, the famous neighborhood in Rio’s South Zone. It is not the same as Cordão do Bola Preta, one of the city’s oldest and largest blocos, or Monobloco, a later percussion-focused group. Banda de Ipanema is particularly associated with a Carnival style in which participants follow a moving band through public streets rather than watching a judged samba-school competition at the Sambadrome.