The AmSoc Blog

From the February issue of Forum

February in Brazil means one thing to the native population: Carnaval. Work will stop, music will blare and vacations – be they long or short – are considered a must.

For AmSoc members new to the holiday, there are plenty of ways for you to experience the traditional fun here in the city, or by taking a short drive across the state.

Carnaval officially begins this year on Feb. 13 and runs through Feb. 17, but celebrations and personal vacations often start before or last long past those set dates.

Sao Paulo’s International Newcomers Club has put together an all-inclusive Carnaval experience package for Saturday, Feb. 13, at R$275 per person for INC members and R$295 for non-members.

The night would start with group transportation making pickups at a few choice spots around 8 pm that night (spots to be determined shortly before the 13th).

The INC group will enter Sao Paulo’s Sambadrome together, and have escorts with them from an affiliated tourist agency at all times to help make their way through the Sambadrome, and answer questions throughout the Carnaval parade. Drinks during the event are included.

Members of the group also do not have to wait until the event’s end to leave together. Individuals or families can leave at any time, and with the help of the group’s coordinator a driver will be arranged to take them back to their home or apartment. All the transportation will be done by a private, secure group of drivers.

Spots for the group were limited as of late January, so if interested call 2501-8038, or e-mail vpevents@newcomers-sp.com.br as soon as possible. Payment for tickets will need to be made immediately into the INC’s bank account.

Sao Paulo’s Tourism office says that a special section at the Sambadrome, Section G, has been designated for international tourists and non-natives, with interpreters on hand and bilingual specialists available to explain the details and history of Brazilian Carnaval to first-time viewers.

Carnaval in the “countryside” is often a very different type of party from the one you’ll see on television taking over Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro and northeastern cities like Salvador. The following are a handful of small, rural cities in Sao Paulo state well-known for their traditional, family-oriented and very “G-rated” Carnaval experiences that you could drive to from Sao Paulo and back in a day.

Themed groups parade through the city’s streets tossing candy and toys as spectators stand just feet away, offering a very personal, interactive Carnaval experience that you may not find in the big city spectacles. These parades are almost always free as well.

The following are a few small towns in Sao Paulo state known for their friendly Carnaval traditions:

São José dos Campos – One of the most important industrial and research centers in South America, this small, fairly affluent city lies about 80 km east of Sao Paulo.

Vista Alegre do Alto – About 378 km northwest of Sao Paulo.

Ariranha – 344 km northwest of Sao Paulo.

Catanduva – About 390 km from Sao Paulo, learn more at http://carnaval.catanduva.sp.gov.br/.

Itu – About 108 km west of Sao Paulo, learn more at www.itu.com.br/turismo/guia.asp

This entry was posted on Tuesday, January 26th, 2010 at 16:38 and is filed under Cultural Trips & Tours, Forum newsletter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.