Copacabana to celebrate 2016 Olympics and samba centenary

The New Year celebrations in Rio should draw more than 2 million people to Copacabana Beach, the local government estimates. The theme of the festival is “Olympic City”, a reference to the Olympic and Paralympic Games which will take place between August and September 2016 in the city. The centenary of the samba will also be celebrated.

The year 2016 is referred to as the year that will be “here to stay”, local government banners and posters in the decorations around the city read.

“We're sure this time will mark the beginning of a very special stage for our city,” said Mayor Eduardo Paes, who inspected the setup work on the main stage for the festival in front of Copacabana Palace Hotel.

The coming year will be greeted with green, purple, and orange fireworks, a display that is expected to last16 minutes. Designed by Pirotecnia Igual Brasil, the show will pay a spectacular tribute to race mingling and the Olympic spirit. At the end, the Copacabana sky will be lit in white at the beat of 2,000 drums as a message of peace.

For the singer-songwriter Gabriel Moura, who will open the concert program on the main stage, being in the show is a tremendous responsibility. “People from all over the world will be here on the 31st expecting us artists to raise the vibe with them—conveying happiness, love, joy. I've prepared a concert with songs that talk about Rio de Janeiro,” he told Agência Brasil.

The Local Tourist Board (RIOTUR) expects 857,000 visitors to flock to the city for the New Year celebrations and contribute nearly $700 million into the local economy.

Translated by Mayra Borges

Relacionadas

Olympics to have anti-terror structure in all competition venues