Brazil’s 54th consecutive Carnival started winding up this past weekend with the biggest events getting under way in Rio de Janeiro. Street parties and fancy dress balls have been well under way, with official activities having begun on the 20th of February. The famous parades take place on the 22nd and 23rd, ending in the Sambadromo, the specially built viewing area for the parades.
The parades feature many fancy floats celebrating global themes, thousands of fancily – and often scantily – dressed performers and even more spectators. The informal block parties began last week, with the official balls kicking off on Friday evening and the parades on the 22nd. The 12 Rio samba schools participate in the parades, which begin each night at 9 pm local time.
Dubbed the greatest show on earth by the hosts, naturally, Carnival takes place every year in the days preceding Lent. This year’s festival has seen less foreign tourists, but more Brazilians taking part in the festivities. Local officials have estimated that the lack of international visitors has been made up by Brazilian residents, keeping hotels and accommodations full. Brazil’s currency has lost some 35 percent of its value of the past year in relation to the US dollar, which has helped to make visiting the country easier for many foreigners.
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