Are you ready for some samba, you know, colorful costumes and feathers in every color of the rainbow? No, I’m not talking about heading to Brazil, that’s way too predictable. Everyone knows that Brazilians are experts at the samba – skimpily clad dancers and lots of hip swaying – but have you ever seen the Finns do it? Now you can, because just in case you miss the February 18th deadline for Rio de Janeiro, you’ll have plenty of time to make Finland’s Samba Carnaval, happening for two consecutive days in Helsinki on June 15 and 16 when the midnight sun is just beginning to burn bright.
Hosted annually for the 22nd year by the Association of Samba Schools in Finland (ASSF), this event gathers dancers and musicians of all ages from seven competing samba schools all over the country rounding up a total of over 1,000 performers. The event brings samba across the globe, seeking to promote samba culture in Finland. It begins on a Friday with the opening ceremony in which the participating schools are introduced. The competition then occurs the following afternoon in the form of a parade. Each school dances to their own original song to be named the best samba school in Finland, proving that the Finnish have a little Latin in their blood, too.
The Helsinki Samba Carnaval provides the same taste of the Carnaval in Rio just on a smaller scale. Why, it’s practically a personal experience compared to the hordes of tourists that throng Rio every year. Still, The Helsinki Samba Carnaval is expected to attract 20,000 to 30,000 spectators, making it the largest Samba festival in Europe and the largest free event in Finland.
So expect lots of dancing, steady beats, bright costumes and protruding feathers galore. Ditto large floats in the tropical style of Rio, and most importantly, an exotic and original flavor that only samba brought by the Finns can provide. Prepare to get very little sleep, ok?