Free shows and other attractions: see how to celebrate National Samba Day

According to the Toda Matéria portal, Samba is a dance and is a Brazilian musical genre considered one of the most representative elements of the country’s popular culture and, due to its large presence throughout the national territory, the rhythm takes different forms in each region, but always maintaining the joy and its engaging cadence. December 2nd is dedicated to him!

The Arapoti portal says that the tribute came about on the initiative of a Bahian councilman, Luis Monteiro da Costa, to honour Ary Barroso, who visited the state for the first time on that date.

See below some suggestions for events that will take place in some states for you, samba lover, to attend.

Rio de Janeiro 

The city will have a celebration worthy of what fans of the festivities deserve and will hold an event lasting two days. On December 1st, the event features parades by Grupo Especial samba schools, a competition to choose the new LGBTQIAPN+ Court and shows with Diogo Nogueira.

And on the 2nd, Roda de Samba do Beco do Rato, a cultural exhibition and varied cuisine. The opening will also feature special attractions, in addition to the Cacique de Ramos parade.

Location: Cidade do Samba, Rua Rivadávia Correia, nº60. 

Purchase tickets here.

And there’s more! Created by artist Marquinhos de Oswaldo Cruz, the 22nd Edition of Trem do Samba, which this year pays homage to the drum as an instrument for promoting communication between generations, and ancestry, in addition to interacting with different cultures; will be held on December 1st and 2nd with a train journey from Central do Brasil to the Oswaldo Cruz neighbourhood.

Once there, everyone will disembark from their respective compositions and 14 samba groups will head to famous bars in the neighborhood and the others will be able to enjoy the attractions of the three stages set up in different parts of the neighborhood, namely: Palco Mestre Pirulito, in Praça Paulo da Portela; Wilson das Neves Stage, on Rua João Vicente; and Palco Mestre Tambique; on Rua Átila da Silveira.

The party, which is free, will start at 9pm on December 1st, with the departure of the “Cortejo Alegre dos Senhores da Memória”, followed by several party members, who are the samba improvisers. The procession will head towards Praça Paulo da Portela, in Oswaldo Cruz, where a huge samba circle will form.

On December 2nd, Central do Brasil and also Oswaldo Cruz will transform to host the big event, starting at 3pm. On the Almir Guineto Stage, renowned national samba artists and the Velhas Guardas take turns until 7pm. The most anticipated event of the party takes place at 6:04 pm, the same time that Paulo da Portela was heading to Oswaldo Cruz, 80 years ago, with his samba companions drumming and singing on the trains. 

To participate in the Samba Train, simply exchange 1kg of non-perishable food for a Supervia ticket at Central Station in Brazil. The food collected will be donated to philanthropic entities.

São Paulo 

São Paulo has a special program during the month of December in honor of Samba Day, which will take place in various parts of the city. The program, which starts on December 1st, features various activities including shows, samba circles, lectures, seminars and cinema sessions.

It also includes “samba circles” (“rodas de samba”) in 24 communities, between the 1st and 15th of December, with emphasis on the show by singer Fabiana Cozza, tributing Dona Ivone Lara at the Casa de Cultura Freguesia do Ó, on the 4th, at the Centro Cultural de Santo Amaro, on the 6th and at the Casa de Cultura Butantã, on the 8th. The Biblioteca Mário Andrade hosts the “Vozes do Samba” seminar, on the 7th, at 9:30 am.

And, to celebrate the date, some points in the city have prepared a special program:

Bar Samba – Rua Fradique Coutinho, 1007, Vila Madalena.
Boteco de Todos os Santos – Rua Aspicuelta, 585, Vila Madalena.
Bar Seu Justino – Rua Harmonia, 77, Vila Madalena e Rua Azevedo Soares, 940, Tatuapé.
Samba da Treze – Rua Santo Antônio, 1327, Bexiga. 

Victory 

In Espírito Santo, one of the places that symbolize the spirit of the date is “Sambão do Povo”, at the sambódromo in Espírito Santo, where the parade of sambaschools anda sambaassociations takes place. The Movimento Samba Itinerante will promote the “Dia Nacional do Samba” party with a program that will feature workshops, presentations by local artists, a samba circle and a major national attraction.

The party stage, ‘Sambão do Povo’, will also have a food court and crafts fair. The event aims not only to enhance one of the country’s main popular cultures, but also to highlightsamba dancers, musicians and composers from the State.

The Movimento Samba Itinerante project began in 2017 with a samba circle between friends. Since then, it has become one of the biggest cultural movements in Vitória, with more than 55 editions in 6 years. The project circulates through communitiesand public places, recognizing strongholds and a new generation of samba dancers.