The 2025 Rio de Janeiro Special Group parades took place between March 2nd and 4th, 2025, at the Marquês de Sapucaí, with exclusive broadcast on TV Globo. The schools in the Special Group in 2025 were, in order of presentation: Unidos de Padre Miguel, Imperatriz Leopoldinense, Unidos do Viradouro, Estação Primeira de Mangueira, Unidos da Tijuca, Beija-Flor de Nilópolis, Acadêmicos do Salgueiro, Unidos de Vila Isabel, Paraíso do Tuiuti, Acadêmicos do Grande Rio, Portela, and Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel. The grand champion was Beija-Flor de Nilópolis, with a theme about the iconic carnival director Laíla. The other schools that returned on Champions' Saturday were Grande Rio, Imperatriz Leopoldinense, Viradouro, Portela, and Mangueira, and the school relegated to the Gold Series was Unidos de Padre Miguel.
Unidos de Padre Miguel pays homage to Casa Branca do Engenho Velho, the first Candomblé temple in Brazil, with the story of Iyá Nassô.
Imperatriz Leopoldinense tells the story of Oxalá's desire to visit Xangô's kingdom. However, the pilgrimage was not simple. Along the way, they encountered other orixás, such as Exu.
Unidos do Viradouro pays homage to the leader of the Quilombo do Catucá, in the North of Pernambuco, with the theme Malunguinho: the messenger of three worlds.
The Estação Primeira de Mangueira samba school, with the theme "À flor da Terra, no Rio da negritude entre dores e paixãos" (At the Flower of the Earth, in the River of Blackness Between Pains and Passions), celebrates the Bantu people, originally from the region of Angola.
Unidos da Tijuca, with the theme "Logun-Edé, holy boy whom old respect", tells the story of the son of Oxum, of fresh water, and Oxóssi, the hunter.
Beija-Flor de Nilópolis brings to the avenue a tribute to the carnival director Laila, who died in 2021, with the theme "Laila of all saints".
Acadêmicos do Salgueiro, with the theme "Salgueiro de Corpo Fechado" (Salgueiro with a Protected Body), delves into the protective rituals used by different cultures throughout history.
Unidos de Vila Isabel brings to the Sapucaí parade grounds Sacis, werewolves, vampires, bogeymen, witches, and the Man in the Sack with the theme "The more I pray, the more ghosts appear to me."
The Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel brings to the Avenue a plea for humanity's awareness of its own future, through an intergalactic journey.
Paraíso do Tuiuti, with the theme "Who's Afraid of Xica Manicongo?", tells the story of the first documented transgender woman in Brazil.
Acadêmicos do Grande Rio delves into the mysterious waters of Pará, with a storyline that celebrates the Pororocas Parawaras and the cultural riches of the region.
Portela, for the first time, honors a living artist, Milton Nascimento. The history and importance of Minas Gerais are also part of the storyline.
Highlights from the Rio de Janeiro Special Group parades 2025