Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is for the uninitiated a fast-moving spectacle of joy, beauty and letting go, but for long-time revelers it can also feel like a test of endurance shaped by heat and timing. With celebrations running for four days before the festivities end on Ash Wednesday, veterans told The Associated Press that how people manage hydration, food, hygiene and belongings can determine whether they keep going from one street party to the next.
One common theme among experienced participants was the need to treat water as a necessity rather than a constant—drinking enough to handle Rio’s scorching summer conditions, but not so much that it forces frequent bathroom stops at inconvenient times. Veterans also emphasized that eating can affect pacing: they described a steady start as helpful for energy, while warning that overdoing food might slow movement through cobblestone streets as others pick up speed.
For Helena Lemos, who also goes by her Hare Krishna name Kunti Devi Dasi, preparation begins before she reaches the first drumbeat of the day. Lemos, 67, told the Associated Press before her first street party on Friday in the bohemian region of Santa Teresa in downtown Rio that she keeps a survival kit with items chosen for digestion and continued stamina. She said she is vegetarian and that her food kit is “very light,” including dried fruit, almonds and raisins, adding that the food “will give you energy” without adding weight and that it helps her “keep you cool.”
Lemos described what she planned to eat and drink at breakfast on Carnival days as well. She said she drank lemon tea, ate tapioca pancakes and coffee for stamina, and had a fruit smoothie for more energy, along with creatine. She added that she would have isotonic drinks when she gets back, saying isotonic drinks cannot be taken before the street parties.
Pharmacist Ana Rodrigues Andrade, 44, described a different set of priorities centered on downtime and personal-care items during long hours outdoors. She told the Associated Press that her main tips focus on resting between parties and bringing hygiene items for situations she said can be difficult during street-party bathroom stops. Andrade said “Under this sun you obviously need sunscreen,” and she advised revelers to prepare it at home and also bring it along.
Andrade said women should “bring toilet paper and hand sanitizers” because the bathroom situation during a street party is “not good at all,” and she urged carrying the supplies in a small purse. As someone who plays in multiple street parties during the Carnival edition—she said she is playing in nine—she also advised performers to bring adhesive tape, saying it is worth it “if you’re playing an instrument” to avoid hurting hands. She said she carries a large drum kit by her belly as she traveled to the events.
Physical education teacher Diego Tiriba, 49, said his approach is to prepare in advance and limit what he carries during street-party hours. Shirtless in the Associated Press report, he described removing a money belt from under his shorts and said he brings “a money belt with some cash, a credit card, a bus card, my medical insurance card and the keys to my home, my cellphone and nothing else.” He added that many women hide their cellphones and money under their shirts, while he frames his own method around keeping only essentials at hand.
Veterans also cautioned that safety mistakes can happen even to experienced participants. Pharmacist Andrade said she had once spread sunscreen only on her face, leaving the rest of her body “all red.” She said she expected she would have trouble again as she remembered she forgot her knee braces to protect from the drum.
As Carnival’s second official day arrived on Sunday—marking the progression of the festivities toward Ash Wednesday—revelers’ guidance reflected a shared view: the events reward preparation, but they can punish overconfidence when heat, stamina and basic needs collide. By building a routine around water management, light and practical food choices, hygiene planning and carrying essentials, veterans described ways to keep moving and stay standing through the street-party days.