Parade of the Champions

Parade of the Champions

The Top 6 Create the Champion's Parade- They're the Best of the Carnival.

The famous and sought after Champion's parade, also known as the Winners' Parade reunites the Champion and five runners-up, celebrating victory and closing the Rio Carnival Samba Parades. 

Ismar Ingber | Riotur

The Champion's Parade is considered to be the happiest of all samba parades. Here's why: the top six Samba Schools - the big Champion and the five runners-up - earn their last chance to celebrate by putting up a great show, this time, without the burden of being judged and the responsibility of perfection. The parade is all about dancing and singing and celebrating Rio Carnival. Yes, it's the most relaxed night at the Sambodromo. 

For the Samba Schools themselves, it's a time of carnival pride. The people involved in the preparation of the Samba Schools are usually from poor communities; so having their school parade in the Champion's Parade broadens their perspective of possibilities.

Gabriel Monteiro | Riotur

Rio Carnival Champion's Parade is on Saturday February 17th, 2024

The awesome party of the Champion's Parade happens without fail the following Saturday after Carnival. In 2024 the Champion's Parade is scheduled to happen on February 17th at 9 PM. This is an all night event with the 6th best Samba School starting the parade going up to the 1st place presenting last at around 5:30 am, finishing around the wee hours on a Rio Sunday morning. 

Alexandre Macieira | Riotur
Start of the Parade March 8th (Saturday)
22:00 To be defined
23:00 To be defined
00:00 To be defined
01:00 To be defined
02:00 To be defined
03:00 To be defined

How Are the Samba Schools Judged?

There are ten specific areas that the schools are arbitrated in, from their theme and the way it was portrayed to the flag bearer's abilities, the floats, the music and the drums; it's all very carefully observed. There are a total of 40 judges that are divided between the 10 categories, 4 judges analyzing each of these categories.

Alex Ferro | Riotur

The Rio Carnival results are shown live on Ash Wednesday at the Apotheosis Square, where the Schools paraded a few days before. Cariocas stand still to follow that event which unveils the big Carnival Champion. The announcer runs over each category of each school, giving a score from 9 to 10. All schools representatives are gathered calculating their scores and when the year's champion is announced the festivities begin again. 

Tickets to the Champion's Parade

Taking part of the Champion's parade is perhaps the easiest parade to attend to. The prices are considerably more affordable than for the Special Parade's tickets. There won't be much of the hustle and bustle of huge crowds and the nervousness of the schools not knowing if they are doing enough to win. They won and now it's time to celebrate. The Champion's Parade still is a splendid parade to watch, "Cariocas", as locals are known, love to come to these parades to watch their favorite samba school, and also because it's a cheaper ticket. The Champion's Parade is a great affordable and less agitated option; so if you are in Rio de Janeiro, don't miss it.