Rio de Janeiro expects a record-breaking attendance of 2.5 million people at the New Year celebration in Copacabana, including 25% tourists. "We will hold a grand and safe party for the population and our visitors," said Governor Cláudio Castro, according to G1. "Since Copacabana is an international reference, we will have a special scheme with Public Security agents distributed not only along the beach but also in the surrounding areas."
Visitors from around the world are arriving to experience the festivities. Jesseca Martin, an English teacher from Alaska, traveled to Rio de Janeiro to see the Copacabana New Year's Eve celebration and visit her boyfriend. "It's very hot here, I'm sweating a lot. But this place is very beautiful, different from Alaska, right? My dream was to come here for New Year's in Copacabana. It's very hot, but I don't feel anything because I'm very happy," she said, according to G1.
The New Year's Eve celebration in Copacabana is set to feature a 12-minute fireworks show with 35,000 pyrotechnic shots synchronized with music. Ten barges will provide the spectacle during the arrival of 2025, with fireworks launched from the barges spread across the sea, as reported by G1.
In addition to the fireworks, the celebration will feature performances by renowned artists. The musical program in Copacabana includes performances by Caetano Veloso, Maria Bethânia, Ivete Sangalo, and Anitta, along with Xand Avião and the Viradouro samba school, according to O Globo.
The main stage, in front of the Copacabana Palace, is in the final stages of assembly and will feature these artists. The New Year's Eve celebration will feature the largest stage in history, reaching the height of an eight-story building, equipped with LED technology, as reported by O Globo.
Other stages include the Samba stage in Copacabana, hosted by David Brazil and Milton Cunha, featuring electronic music by DJs Underclose and Mística, and attractions including Marcelo D2 and Pretinho da Serrinha. There will also be a gospel stage, according to O Globo.
Among international visitors, the largest presence will be from Argentinians, driven by the appreciation of the Argentine peso compared to the Brazilian real, with participation also from Chilean and U.S. tourists, as reported by ANSA.
Festival-goers are eager for the celebration. Maria José Santos Ramos da Silva, a 48-year-old sales promoter from Bahia, is anxious for the show of siblings Caetano Veloso and Maria Bethânia. To secure a good spot on the sand, she plans to arrive at the beach around 5 PM for the show that starts at 8 PM, as reported by O Globo.
Businesses are also preparing for the influx of visitors. The Quiosque Ibiza Beach, located in Leme, is taking advantage of the new gospel music stage on the beach to increase sales and has increased its staff from eight to about twenty workers. The kiosk offers a menu with regional dishes from Pará, as well as typical dishes for this time of year, such as Chester and bacalhau, according to O Globo.
Several other kiosks are also preparing with attractions, including musical ones, and special menus to attract the public who will be on the beach from the early hours for the New Year's Eve party.
The tradition of New Year's Eve celebrations in Copacabana has deep cultural roots. In the 1970s, the party was a purely religious ritual practiced by followers of Candomblé and Umbanda. Over time, the celebration began to attract people of other beliefs, who saw the date as an opportunity to ask for protection and good energies for the coming year. Traditions such as wearing white, jumping the seven waves, and popping champagne have their origins in Afro-Brazilian religion, as reported by O Globo.
Authorities in Rio de Janeiro gave the green light for the grand New Year's Eve fireworks display at Copacabana Beach. Ten barges equipped with pyrotechnics passed inspection and were cleared to anchor offshore, according to the Military Firefighters Corps of the State of Rio de Janeiro (CBMERJ).
"We were on Governor's Island with the General Directorate of Public Entertainment, and the analyst officers inspected each of the 10 barges, checking the distance between the devices, the caliber, the tilt, and whether the positioning was according to the layout presented by the organizers. The result is that it is in compliance. From now on, the next step is for the corporation to issue authorization for the fireworks in Copacabana," stated Major Fábio Contreiras, the spokesperson for the Firefighters, according to G1.
To ensure safety, security staff will be reinforced by a record 28,000 people, including 3,300 police officers, which is 12% more than last year. Security will be reinforced during the celebration, with people going to celebrate required to pass through police inspection points, as reported by O Globo.
Access to the beach will only be allowed at 17 points, where attendees will undergo inspections, including metal detectors and facial recognition cameras to locate fugitives from justice. The Military Police will inspect bags to confiscate weapons, knives, and glass containers, according to G1.
To accommodate the large number of attendees, the city has put in place security measures. The operation will include technology, including 15 drones with facial recognition systems capable of finding fugitives from justice, and specialized assistance, as reported by G1.
The fireworks display has been meticulously planned. According to the City Hall of Rio, equipment with GPS connection will ensure that each barge fires the fireworks with precision, synchronized in real time. The sequence of detonations was developed and simulated with the help of software called Finale 3D, as reported by G1.
The fireworks are prepared to explode at three distinct heights: between 50 and 60 meters; between 120 and 150 meters; and between 180 and 210 meters, to avoid smoke accumulation. The soundtrack accompanying the fireworks will include mixed songs from Lady Gaga, Madonna, and Coldplay, as well as "Evidências," one of the biggest hits by Chitãozinho and Xororó, according to G1.
Despite forecasted cloudiness, temperatures in Rio de Janeiro on December 31, 2024, may reach a maximum of 31 degrees Celsius, contributing to a beach day for residents and visitors, as reported by O Globo.
The New Year's Eve celebration in Rio de Janeiro is expected to have an economic impact. The forecast for the events welcoming the arrival of 2025 is a return of approximately 500 million euros (3.2 billion reais), according to ANSA.
In addition to Copacabana, the city of Rio de Janeiro will have official fireworks displays in seven neighborhoods and 13 stages, including Parque Susana Naspolini (Realengo) and Niterói, with various points hosting displays organized by the city government and private initiatives, as reported by O Globo.
There will be a unique ban on glass bottles and other glass items in Copacabana, including for street vendors, with checkpoints and searches starting at 8 AM. "I ask people not to insist. In addition to applying fines, we will revoke the license. That beach vendor who doesn't understand that they can't have glass bottles and can't have the enclosure, we will repress. We will respect the rules. They are not made in vain," said Mayor Eduardo Paes, according to O Globo.
The article was written with the assistance of a news analysis system.