Samba Away at Rio Carnival, Brazil

The Carnival in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro is an annual festival held every year before Lent, which is one of the world's most well-known, biggest and most spectacular carnivals. The official dates of Carnival vary from year to year, like Easter. Generally, though, it takes place in February or early March. It's the main festivity in Brazil which earned the distinction of being ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’ and which is said to date as far back as 1723.

There are two million people per day on the streets, celebrating music, dance, and costumes, with elaborate floats, colourful costumes, and lively samba sounds. The Carnival parade is a competition among the various Samba schools who compete against each other for the pride of being crowned the best. Thousands of samba dancers and musicians playing samba or 'batucada', as it is known in Rio. The lavish and highly coloured floats are created by local samba schools months in advance for the parade which takes place in the Sambadrome. Coined for the abundance of captivating colors, extravagant costumes, samba dancing, upbeat music, and lively ambiance, Rio Carnival is one of the most iconic cultural celebrations in the world. Every year for a week in February or March, Brazil is taken over by the wild, exuberant and pulsing display that is Carnival. The Rio Carnival starts is held before Lent begins (on Ash Wednesday) with most events kicking off on Friday until Tuesday with the popular days being Sunday and Monday. Traditionally, all food pleasures and festivities are meant to be indulged before the fasting of Lent began. The main events take place in the Sambadrome - the official samba stadium where the Carnival is held - and attracts millions of visitors from around the world.

Funding for the lavish floats and costumes partly comes from Government grants and subsidies as the Carnival draws in millions of foreigners and visitors every year - potentially, a huge boost to the local economy. Alongside the Sambadrome parade where visitors have to pay to get in, there will also be several street parties in the city, which are although a lot less extravagant, mean that anyone can join in.

Would you love to go to the Rio Carnival? We certainly would!

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