TDSounds

The pagode do Trem - a samba party till dawn in Rio, involving four sound stages, many samba stars, song, dance, beer, and four trains. Now this is an event that I would REALLY like to  experience...

Celebrating the Brazilian Day of Samba on Dec 2nd, the event starts with a live stage set up in Rio's central rain station. From 12pm there's a big samba da roda in the station, with many samba stars performing - including (in 2009) the velha guardas of Mangueira and Portela.

Then, from 7pm, four trains set off towards Oswaldo Cruz. These party (pagode) trains contain a mixture of normal passengers, drums, music, songs and samba stars of the calibre of  Nelson Sargento and Dona Ivone Lara. Everyone disembarks at Oswaldo Cruz, where there are three more music stages and a party that goes on till dawn.

Entrance to the trains is by ticket only but these can't be bought with money. You have to buy your ticket in advance with 1kg of non perishable food, which is then donated to the Food Bank of Rio as part of the national 'Zero Hunger' campaign.

have a look at a previous year's Pagode no trem....

youtube.com/watch?v=66PavTvjG3o