Carnival champion used adapted road chassis for one of the great moments of the parade: the ascent of 300 percussionists on its float
In one of the most talked about moments of Carnival 2026, the champion, Unidos do Viradouro, paraded with her entire drums — 301 rhythmists, the queen and the performer Wander Pires — positioned on a float.
The maneuver was one of the highlights of the winning parade, and served to honor Mestre Ciça — head of the school’s drums for 40 years and the theme of this year’s plot. More than artistic daring, however, the execution required a complex logistical operation and structural engineering to ensure safety and impeccable acoustics at Marquês de Sapucaí.
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To make the show viable, the school invested in a rigorous project, according to O Globo. The base of the 25-meter-long traveling stage was assembled from the union of the chassis of a stork truck and a bus. The technical choice for the stork truck was decisive: its more spaced axles provide the indispensable stability to support not only the weight of more than 300 people simultaneously, but also the intense vibration generated by percussion instruments.
Under the command of carnival artist Tarcísio Zanon, who met Ciça’s demands, the acoustics of the allegory were treated rigorously. The traditional carpet floor was replaced by a specific fabric to prevent the sound from being muffled. The search for excellence required 15 practical rehearsals, including training under thunderstorms in Samba City and a whole night of tests at the Sambadrome itself.
Finally, the operation followed a timed schedule. To respect the time regulations of the League of Schools, the car entered Sector 1 empty. The human gear worked in an agile way: the group embarked at the time of the first retreat, remained elevated throughout the route and disembarked only after the finish line, crowning the 79 minutes of parade.
