São Paulo considers transferring street Carnival to Interlagos Race Track

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – One of the alternatives that São Paulo City Hall is studying for the 2022 street Carnival is to transfer the blocks to the Interlagos Race Track, in the capital’s southern zone.

The idea will be discussed at a meeting convened by mayor Ricardo Nunes on Thursday, January 6.

The mayor said that this solution would enable to guarantee health safety and preserve an event that generates “thousands of jobs.” Nunes said that Carnival has a turnover of R$2.7 billion (US$475,000) for the city.

Should the blocks in fact be transferred to the race track, it is likely that not all of the 696 registered groups will parade, given that the venue would not have the capacity to hold them all. “We could draw lots for the blocks that would be allowed to perform at Interlagos, for instance,” the mayor said.

The meeting will be attended by the mayor, the São Paulo Carnival organizing committee, and members of the Municipal Health Secretariat (SMS).

The mayor said he hopes the meeting will allow him to set a deadline to announce his decision on whether or not to release Carnival in São Paulo in 2022. Before the meeting, on Wednesday, January 5, Nunes is expected to meet with representatives of Ambev, the sponsor of Carnival in the city.

With respect to the samba schools parade, it should be maintained at the Sambadrome, subject to health protocols.

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