The 2018 Rio de Janeiro Special Group parades took place between February 11th and 12th, 2018, at the Marquês de Sapucaí, with exclusive broadcast on TV Globo. The Special Group schools in 2018 were, in order of presentation: Império Serrano, São Clemente, Vila Isabel, Paraíso do Tuiuti, Grande Rio, Mangueira, Mocidade, Unidos da Tijuca, Portela, União da Ilha, Salgueiro, Imperatriz, and Beija-Flor. The grand champion was Beija-Flor de Nilópolis, with the theme "Monster is he who does not know how to love. The abandoned children of the motherland that bore them". The other champion schools were Paraíso do Tuiuti, Salgueiro, Portela, Mangueira, and Mocidade, and no school was relegated to the Série A after an administrative decision by LIESA that saved Grande Rio and Império Serrano.
'The samba empire on the China Road'
'Academically popular'
'Run, the future is coming!'
'My God, my God, is slavery abolished?'
'Will it ascend the throne or not?'
The plot, 'With money or without money, I'll have fun,' humorously criticizes those who use the financial crisis to try and ruin the joy of Carnival.
The storyline 'Namaste... The essence that dwells within me greets the one that exists within you' shows the influence of India in Brazil.
Highlights of the 02/11/2018 parade of the Special Group in Rio de Janeiro
'An urban heart: Michael, the archangel of the arts, greets the people and asks for passage'
'Suddenly from there to here and suddenly from here to there…'
'Brazil with a great appetite'
'Ladies of the womb of the world'
'A royal night at the National Museum'
'A monster is one who does not know how to love - The abandoned children of the motherland that bore them'
Highlights of the 02/12/2018 parade of the Special Group in Rio de Janeiro
Carnival 2018 - Full Report 14 February 2018 - Rio de Janeiro Results