Africa-Press – Cape verde. Just so we understand each other: life is two days, Carnival is three, except in São Vicente, where it starts in January. Now that things are clear, let’s get down to business.
We are just a few days away from another high season of the São Vicente way of life. On Tuesday night (4), five official groups will compete for the title of winner and all other prizes in the competition, in a year that is marked by the return of Vindos do Oriente to the official competition. The day before, on Monday night (3), the usual parade of the Tropical Samba School (EST). Before that, many schools, gardens and other institutions will present their creations in the historic center of Mindelo.
The assembly of the stands began on February 20th and, as in recent years, structures will be placed on Rua de Lisboa, Avenida Baltasar Lopes and Praça Nova, with a total of around 4 thousand seats.
Tickets will be sold on Saturday, from 8 am to 4 pm, and Sunday, from 10 am to 3 pm. The ticket office will be located at the Training Center, next to the Adérito Sena stadium. Prices vary. For Monday night, a seat in the stands at Praça Nova will cost R$300, on Av. Baltasar Lopes, 1,000$00, on Lisbon Street, 1,500$00. For the big day, Tuesday, a spot at Praça Nova will cost R$1,000.00, to watch Carnival on Av. Baltasar Lopes will involve spending $1,500.00, while being present on Rua de Lisboa will mean an investment of $2,000.00.
Each person can buy a maximum of two tickets for Tuesday and there are no reserved seats (oh, and bring cash in your pocket, as the organization will not accept payments with Vinti4).
The Ministry of Culture and Creative Industries announced that it has reserved 7,200 contos for the São Vicente Carnival, to be distributed among the different official groups, via the Independent League of Official Carnival Groups (LIGOC-SV).
The local government also supported the preparations and by Tuesday had already made R$2,000 available to each group.
Coming from the East The party-goers of Vindos do Oriente (VO) return to tread on a ground that is rightfully theirs. In 2025, and signed by carnival designer Cláudio Miranda, the group is betting on the theme “The daughters of Isis, the cradle of life, their struggles and achievements”. A tribute to Cape Verdean women and in a very special way to Lili Freitas and Cely Freitas, historical leaders of the association, who left us in recent years.
Setting the pace and livening up the 1,000 to 1,200 expected revelers was the musical theme “Se carnaval era gente”, by the duo Anísio and Jotacê.
Flores do Mindelo “A dream, a wish, a journey from Africa to the Amazon” is the plot of Flores do Mindelo, proposed by Ana Soares, president of the group. An imaginary journey and an opportunity to promote unity and dialogue between different cultures and ethnicities, but with countless points of contact.
Flores do Mindelo hopes to mobilize 700 revelers, who will parade to the sound of “Destine tracede”, the title of the song composed and written by Gai Dias.
Estrela do Mar As in other editions, the Estrela do Mar group takes advantage of Carnival 2025 to call for greater environmental awareness. “I Love Terra – In defense of its green orchard, Estrela do Mar calls for an end to global warming” is the plot developed by carnival designer Emanuel Ribeiro. A way to raise awareness among the population about a serious issue, climate change.
800 revelers are expected, who will samba to the rhythm of “I love terra”, by Emanuel Ribeiro, performed by Yannick.
Cruzeiros do Norte Fernando ‘Nóia’ Morais prepared, for Cruzeiros do Norte, the theme “Lighthouse of the Atlantic, shining with a thousand lights”. The group promises an opera in four acts, from the arrival of Portuguese navigators to the mixing of cultures that characterizes contemporary Cape Verde.
1,200 revelers are expected. The song is “Caldeirão d’Atlantico”, by Edson Oliveira.
Monte Sossego Winner in 2020, 2023 and 2024, the Monte Sossego Carnival Group knows that the responsibility is great (and so are the expectations). In 2025, the association is betting on a kind of return to its origins and paying tribute to 40 years of history, with the theme “Terra d’Indio em festa – Celebration of the neighborhood that generated a nation”, conceived by the duo Valdir Brito and ‘Boss’ Brito.
Constantino Cardoso provides music for the party, with “Celebrá terra d’Índio”. Once again, more than a thousand revelers are expected.
Samba Tropical EST is not included in Tuesday’s competition. “The apotheosis of the Mindelo Carnival. “Seven Streets, One History” pays homage to the historical trajectory of the Mindelo Carnival and brings fragments of plots from other groups that marked the party in the city’s streets over the years. “Tcha Bem Folia” is the song written by Anísio and Jotacê.
Expectations For Flávio Fernandes, from Rádio Morabeza, who has coordinated the special Carnival broadcasts for several years, from Mindelo, it will be another high-level year. Monte Sossego and Vindos do Oriente start as favorites,
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