Top scoring samba schools return to Rio’s Sambadrome for champion’s parade

The six top-scoring samba schools from Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival returned to the Sambadrome for a final parade, wowing spectators with gorgeous costumes, energetic performances, and live samba tune.

Mangueira, which placed sixth, opened the festivities, while Beija Flor de Nilópolis, this yr’s champion, closed the night in triumphant type.

Beija Flor was crowned the 2025 Rio Carnival champion with a parade theme honoring its gradual carnival director, Laila, who passed away in 2021. The victory carried additional significance for legendary samba singer and composer Neguinho da Beija-Flor, who introduced his retirement after nearly five decades because the college’s respectable interpreter.

Judges bound the winner on Wednesday, evaluating schools throughout loads of performance courses.

For many performers, the final parade was a 2nd of enjoyment and accomplishment.

Thiago Alves, a performer at Mangueira Samba College, expressed his gratitude: “To be back for the champions’ parade, it’s a feeling that everything we’ve done in this long process—four to five months of rehearsals—was worth it. To have our work recognized and to be among the top six schools is a feeling of duty accomplished.”

Iris Giles, additionally from Mangueira, described the overwhelming emotions of performing: “When I step onto the Sambadrome avenue, I can’t explain the feeling. I just know that I shiver. It’s a different Iris that’s there. It’s a stratospheric level of emotion—I can’t even put it into words. It’s pure joy.”

Once unfold over two nights with six schools per parade, Rio’s elite ‘particular neighborhood’ competition now takes suppose over three nights, that comprises four schools every evening.

The Sambadrome, an iconic venue for the reason that Eighties, remains the coronary heart of Brazil’s Carnival, the build the nation’s top samba schools compete in a spectacular birthday party of culture, tune, and dance.

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