Hailed as Austin’s wildest party, CARNAVAL BRASILEIRO is the city’s annual Brazilian style Mardi Gras celebration. Begun in the early 1970s to soothe homesick Brazilian students, CARNAVAL has grown into a local institution attracting over 5000 partygoers from all over the United States. The flamboyant sometimes risque, costumes, the driving Brazilian samba, and the uninhibited, spirited atmosphere have earned CARNAVAL its reputation as one of the best and biggest such festivities outside Brazil.

You get admission to the best, wildest, craziest party you could ever want to attend. Two live Brazilian bands provide non-stop dance music…come in comfortable shoes, and be ready to dance for 5 hours straight! And be ready to see some outlandish costumes, and probably lots of skin!

Our new home is The Speakeasy. It is at 412 Congress Avenue. This is a non-smoking facility.

There are numerous parking lots downtown nearby, however we also encourage carpooling and cabbing as alternatives.

Doors open at 8pm, music starts at 9pm and ends about 1:45 a.m.

Cameras and camcorders are more than welcome.

Hard driving SAMBA! with lots of drums…

A group of Texas-based Brazilian pros will be headlining. This will be their second appearance at Carnaval.

No, you do not have to wear a costume, but a costume does help you get into the spirit of the event. Nonetheless, probably 30-40 percent of the party-goers come without a costume. Once there, you may decide you want to do something more festive with your appearance, we will have face painters on hand to help decorate the parts of your body you choose to expose!

You can wear any kind of costume you want… use your imagination. It is like Halloween without the emphasis on witches and hobgoblins: clowns, Carmen Mirandas, glamour, pseudo-celebs and cross dressing are traditional! But the main thing is: have fun! One way Brazilians increase their enjoyment is by gathering a group together, either from a neighborhood or any other affiliation, and costume identically, or at least thematically-this is called a bloco, and we highly encourage this kind of communal spirit.

There will be several painters at the event doing various forms of painting. The are independent contractors and charge a modest fee for the service.

Cash bars will be scattered throughout the ballroom, as well as in a foyer where one can have a drink and decompress a bit. The bars will offer about any drink you want. By the way, bringing in your own alcoholic beverages is strictly taboo.

No substantial food, but we hope to have a couple of food trucks parked at the front door! People come here to dance and let loose, not eat!

The Speakeasy is a non-smoking venue inside the building. There is a patio in the rear where smoking is permitted.

21+. Of course you must be 21 to consume alcoholic beverages, and that law is strictly enforced.

Tix are on sale now. Carnaval sells out quickly every year, so early ticket purchase is advised. Log onto: Carnaval Tickets.

Maybe. Probably! Cash or plastic accepted.