The most famous Carnaval celebrations in Minas Gerais are usually in the historic towns of Ouro Preto, Diamantina & Mariana.  However, there are many other parade and parties in numerous small towns around the state.  These are usually called, Carnaval de Rua, where there are parades called blocos carnavalescos and sometimes stages set in the middle of the street and crowds of Carnaval goers make it to the streets in costume, abadás, or just regular street clothes.  The important thing is, there is lots of dancing… and drinking, for the most part.

Many say Caranaval in Minas Gerais, is almost a mix of Bahia’s Axé music & Rio de Janeiro’s brass and drum bands, so if you are the type of person who likes “a little bit of everything,” don’t mind being away from the beach on Carnaval, and don’t want to spend as much as you would for a parade in Salvador, Minas is a great destination for Carnaval!

Here’s a video with a little bit of what one of the blocos in Ouro Preto has to offer (not the techno music while really, there are Axé bands playing!).  Since there are a few colleges there, you’ll see there are a lot of college students at the Carnaval celebration there!