Rio Carnival
February 13 · Level 10 · #2 of 2238
Rio Carnival brings samba, spectacular costumes and street celebrations to Rio de Janeiro before Lent. Behind the exuberance are communities that spend months developing the music, designs and performances that will tell their story in the parade.
How it is celebrated: samba schools present themed processions at the Sambadrome, combining dancing, songs and elaborate floats. Across the city, street groups known as blocos gather residents and visitors for more music and dancing.
A samba school is much more than a place to take dance lessons. It is a community organisation that builds a complete carnival production and competes against other schools before judges.