BRAZIL: Gay Ball marks official close of Canival festivities in Rio

Record ID: 277793

  • Title: BRAZIL: Gay Ball marks official close of Canival festivities in Rio
  • Date: 13th February 2013
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (Portuguese) PENSIONER, MARILENE PEREIRA, SAYING: "This year we were not sure if there was going to be a (gay) ball. Carnival's most important ball is the gay ball, because we identify ourselves in it. I have been doing this for four years, I'm very happy, I'm not little girl anymore, but I still like to shake my feet."
  • Embargoed: 28th February 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Brazil
  • Country: Brazil
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Quirky,People
  • Reuters ID: LVAA38B23GK5Z3M3PBY6R04KJUWW
  • Story Text: Hundreds of revellers celebrated the official end of the Rio de Janeiro Carnival by attending the Gay Ball, on Tuesday night (February 12).
    Exuberance and colour were abundant, in what has become one of the main Carnival events in Rio.
    Even though the Gay Ball is targeted at Rio de Janeiro's lesbian and gay community, people from all sexual orientations were in attendance.
    For pensioner Marilene Pereira, it was a relief that organizers decided to go ahead with the event this year.
    "This year we were not sure if there was going to be a (gay) ball. Carnival's most important ball is the gay ball, because we identify ourselves in it. I have been doing this for four years, I'm very happy, I'm not little girl anymore, but I still like to shake my feet," she said.
    The Gay Ball attracts tourists from all over the world. This reveller from Porto Rico was delighted to take part in the festivities.
    "It's my first time in the Rio Carnival, in this amazing place, here in the gay ball, and I came all the way from Porto Rico to see this show of the Rio de Janeiro Carnival," he said.
    "This is amazing, I love Carnival, it's great. Australia, aussie, aussie, aussie," added Jennifer, rom Australia.
    The Rio de Janeiro Carnival officially came to a close on Tuesday, but festivities are expected to continue throughout the city over the next few days.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register