| by: darrencooper Imagine a carefree world full of beautiful people, elaborate costumes, grandiose parties, and an over-abundance of food, drink and vibrant sexuality. You could sit at home and fantasize about the existence of such a place, or you could just call your travel agent. Each February this world comes to life across the globe for the pre-Lenten festival of Carnival, and nowhere is this celebration more extravagant than the Carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Venice, Italy. You should experience at least one in your lifetime, and though your decision on which to attend may depend on how much clothing you prefer to pack (and wear); here is a breakdown of each festival to help you decide. Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival will take over the streets from February 26th through March 1st. It is unquestionably the larger of the two celebrations, and, with over 300,000 foreign tourists in attendance each year, arguably the largest in the world. Native Brazilians, called Cariocas, are filled with passion – passion for food, music, the sun and life. Each of the neighborhood’s samba schools prepare for months for the four-day festival. The samba parades are the centerpiece of Carnival, pitting more than a dozen of Rio’s samba schools in a fierce competition in music, dancing, costume design and float presentation. It is very common for the larger schools to have as many as 25 floats and thousands of drummers and dancers. If you want to be in the middle of the action, your concierge can register you to be a part of one of the samba schools, and you’ll be given a full costume and dance down the Avenida Marques de Sapucai. Otherwise, reserve seats at the Sambódromo, preferably on Sunday or Monday when the Division One samba schools perform. Also be sure to check out some of Rio’s famous Carnival costume balls, where the costumes (and sometimes the clothing) are usually optional. Many take place in the city’s five star hotels, but the two biggest gay parties are the X-Demente on Carnival Saturday and Tuesday, and the annually televised Gala Gay at Scala on Carnival Tuesday. Slightly less overtly sensual, but equally as flamboyant is Venice’s Carnevale – 10 days of theatrical debauchery from February 18th to the 28th leading up to Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, when fireworks illuminate the Grand Canal, and the Piazza San Marco is turned into a giant open-air ballroom for masses of costumed revelers. Unlike Rio, there is no one single official street where everyone gathers, but rather all of Venice becomes a stage for partygoers to show off their extravagant costumes. For all those wanting to see and be seen, the best places to gather are the historical cafes lining the Piazza San Marco. The Caffè Florian is the most sought after place to be, but don’t expect the best seat in the house unless your costume is straight off the stage of La Scala. There are also dozens of free outdoor concerts during the festival, with music varying from jazz to baroque. Most of the masked balls in Venice are usually private, but for those exorbitant parties where tickets are available, the most popular is the Ballo del Doge in the Palazzo Pisani-Moretta on the Grand Canal. Costumes are a must for all parties in Venice, and can be rented by the day from specialty shops all over the city. There is not much of a gay nightlife in Venice; for that you need to take the train to Padua. But if you’re looking for the utmost spectacle and a gorgeous living history, the Venice Carnevale is unsurpassed. |
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