Carnival time
James Fryer gets swept along with the spirit of Rio in anticipation of the capital’s biggest –ever street party.
Row after row of performers dance through the streets of Rio de Janeiro, shaking their brightly coloured feathers and shuffling their feet to the samba beats. Floats drift past belting out their unique sounds and rhythms, while groups of face-painted punters dance the night away in a frenzied party spirit. Yes, it’s carnival time. But you don’t have to book yourself on a 14-hour flight to Rio just yet. Next month the streets of Abu Dhabi will be transformed for the first ever Club International Charity Carnival, as an expected excess of 6,000 party people descend on the capital, giving you plenty of time to work on making your colourful costumes and fabulous floats.
Participants from the world-over will be jetting in for the celebrations, giving carnival-goers the chance to get fully immersed in the international vibe. The event promises to be jam-packed with activities for all the family, on the streets and on a beautiful stretch of Abu Dhabi beach. Stilt walkers dressed in carnival costumes will be towering over the crowds, a man dressed as a giant Scot will be in attendance with his giant dog (no, your eyes don’t deceive you), and carnival performers from Italy will also be making a special trip to the UAE, alongside an array of international musicians.
Children’s entertainers from England will be on hand to keep the little ones entertained, and a ‘one man Shakespeare band’ will be performing versions of the great playwright’s work (don’t worry, they’ll be the ‘for dummies’ versions and shorter than the real thing). The floats will all be embracing the international theme and are sure to be a feast for the eyes. Handicraft stalls will be offering an array of hand-made jewellery and carnival souvenirs to tempt your pursestrings.
So, how do I get involved, you ask. Well, depending on your free time and how flash you’re feeling with your cash, you can sponsor an individual float, arrange an exhibit or just spread the word and shake your booty down to Abu Dhabi on the day. Local schools are also urged to get involved – it’s the perfect opportunity to put your arts and crafts skills to the test, working on decorations, masks and costumes. Schools or individual classes can even enter their own float, and school bands and choirs are invited to add their own music to the parade. School children will get free entrance if they arrive in international-themed carnival dress. No place for shyness here, then.
If you’re feeling too lazy to make a costume and samba the day away, you could always just sell tickets or volunteer to help out with organising the big day. In true carnival spirit there will be loads of competition prizes up for grabs, from flight tickets to big-screen plasma televisions. All proceeds from the event (with the exception of a couple of local charity stalls) will be going to Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF), an independent humanitarian medical aid agency committed to providing medical aid regardless of social, political or religious boundaries. MSF was chosen to tie in with the international focus of the carnival.
And if all this isn’t enough to convince you, just think about how bad the jet lag and aeroplane food would be on the way to Brazil – and remember there’ll be a range of international cuisine on offer at the closer-to home-carnival, too. We’ll have more on the nation’s biggest street party next month. See you there.
International Charity Carnival, April 7, 10am to 6pm, The Club, Abu Dhabi. Tickets are Dhs10 for children, Dhs15 for adults. Tel: (02) 6731111. www.tcicc.org.