Saúde! Melbourne’s favourite floating party palace, Afloat, is back for its 10th season on the Yarra, and this time, they’re ditching Melbourne for the golden beaches and samba beats of Rio de Janeiro.
The entire venue is getting revamped, trading last year’s look for lush rainforest greens and turquoise awnings. There’ll be sunset-toned lounges, hand-painted murals and plenty of chances to pretend you're in Copacabana (Melbourne weather permitting, of course).
And because Afloat isn’t about to let its 10th birthday slide by quietly, they’re bringing Rio Carnival to the Yarra, bringing with them all-night parties and enough sequins to blind someone.
HQ Group’s cocktail maestro Tom Younger is channeling his inner carioca, loading the menu with passionfruit, guava and açai. Sip on a Passionfruit Pisco Sour or go full vaca mode with a frozen Mango Batida—just try not to spill it while testing your flexibility for salsa.
Executive Chef Paul Dunlop has ensured that the food is a culinary fiesta, with crispy pastels (empanadas’ hotter cousin), smoky grilled meats and arepas that tastes like they were brought in directly from South America.
“No country throws a party quite like Brazil, and there’s no Brazilian party quite like Rio Carnival,” HQ Group’s Chief Marketing Officer, Georgie Larkins says.
That’s right, consider this your official invite to lose yourself in the Cidade Maravilhosa.
Afloat’s 10th season kicks off Friday, 29 August. Bookings are available from Friday, 5 September onwards, and you can bet those NYE and Christmas tickets will vanish faster than you can hit book. Lock in your spot at Afloat Melbourne and prepare to party like a freezing Melburnian in the Brazilian heat!
AFLOAT RIO
Location: 2 Flinders Walk, Melbourne CBD
Socials: @afloat_melbourne
Main Image Credit: Afloat | Supplied
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Image credit: Arbory Afloat | Supplied