Francis Duarte
Summer has arrived in Rio de Janeiro with a resplendent sun. And the cariocas, keeping up the ritual, showed up in force at the beaches – from couples of lovers on the sand to soccer players. With a temperature of 41 degrees, good weather and blue skies, on the radios
"I want to hold your hand
"and "Mais que nada," the moment was perfect. On the Arpoador seafront, several onlookers watched the boys gliding on the waves.
They were "surfing," they said, and the trend caught on. In front of Castelinho, in Ipanema, the beach turned into a runway for a parade of celebrities from theater, radio, television, and many writers. In the midst of all this excitement, fans crowded together to catch a close-up glimpse of their idols.
In Copacabana, bikinis gained new colors and shapes, with colorful prints, polka dots, and flowers. Hats and bows adorned the young women, while the young men showed off their colorful sungas. It was the color of Rio, the color of summer!
In that summer of 1964, the beach routine was almost religious. At 7am, the sunbathing of the elderly would begin – those who went to the beach for health reasons, as they said in interviews. Then, the atmosphere would fill with laughter and colorful buckets, signaling the arrival of the children. Around 11am, the young women would parade in groups. This was the peak of the day. At 4pm, the workers would start appearing on the scene, especially the maids, who would swap their uniforms for bikinis to enjoy a bit of the sea. At 5pm, the beaches would turn into a true Maracanã, with young men sporting team shirts, putting on a seaside soccer spectacle until nightfall.
Image description: This is a color photograph of a beach crowded with people. The image shows a large number of people spread across the entire length of the beach, with some of them sitting under colorful beach umbrellas. The umbrellas are scattered throughout the area, in varied colors such as red, green, blue, and white. The people are in different positions, some standing, others sitting or lying down. The beach appears to be quite busy, with many visitors enjoying the sun and the sea.Revista O Cruzeiro, 18 de janeiro de 1964. Fotógrafo Desconhecido. Acervo: Hemeroteca da Biblioteca Nacional