Unidos do Viradouro won Rio de Janeiro’s 2020 Carnival championship with “Viradouro de Alma Lavada.”
The parade celebrated the washing of the steps of Senhor do Bonfim Church in Salvador, Bahia, a religious and cultural tradition associated with cleansing, faith and communal participation. Viradouro transformed that subject into a colorful samba-school spectacle.
The 2020 title was Viradouro’s second championship in Rio’s Special Group, following its earlier victory in 1997. The school is based in Niterói, across Guanabara Bay from Rio de Janeiro, and is one of the few leading competitors headquartered outside the city proper.
The title is sometimes confused with the 2020 São Paulo Carnival results because both cities run major samba-school competitions. Rio’s championship was decided through its own judging system and parade groups.