Four groups wanted to hold separate events on Copacabana beach yesterday, including participants in a gay pride parade, worshippers celebrating Brazil's patron saint, runners competing in a half marathon, and families taking part in Children's Day activities.
The solution?
Precise timing.
The day started with a procession of hundreds of thousands of people lugging heavy wooden crosses and saintly images to honor the saint.
By midmorning, participants in the World Half Marathon Championship zipped along the beachfront.
Then around noon, parents took their young ones to Children's Day events by the sea.
At nightfall, the raucous gay pride parade had taken over, with go-go boys dancing to electronic music on top of 20 trucks.
One worshipper who participated in the religious procession says she thinks there's space for everyone.
