Photos updated: Carnival takes over Rio de Janeiro

 

The streets of Rio de Janeiro are awash with millions of colourful revellers, there to celebrate Carnival, one of the world's biggest and most outrageous parties. The sounds of samba music fill the streets as people come from all over to partake in the fun.

 
February 21, 2012
 
 
 
A reveller of Grande Rio samba school performs during the second night of carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early on February 21, 2012.
 

A reveller of Grande Rio samba school performs during the second night of carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early on February 21, 2012.

Photograph by: CHRISTOPHE SIMON, AFP/Getty Images

 
A reveller of Grande Rio samba school performs during the second night of carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early on February 21, 2012.
A reveller from the Grande Rio samba school takes part in the second night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 21, 2012.
A reveller of the Estacao Primeira de Mangueira samba school performs during the second night of Carnival parades at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on February 21, 2012.
Revellers of the Estacao Primeira de Mangueira samba school perform atop a float during the second night of Carnival parades at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on February 21, 2012. Rio’s two nights of famously extravagant Carnival parades began late on February 18 in a burst of fireworks and to the cheers of festival goers who have been partying on the streets for days. The processions, featuring near-naked dancing queens, spectacularly imaginative floats and thousands of extras, were being held before a stadium crowd of 70,000 and an international broadcast audience.
Revellers of the Academicos do Grande Rio samba school perform during the second night of Carnival at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on February 21, 2012. The processions, featuring near naked dancing queens, spectacularly imaginative floats and thousands of extras, were being held before a stadium crowd of 70,000 and an international broadcast audience.
A reveller of Uniao da Ilha samba school dances ahead of a float during the second night of carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on February 20, 2012.
A reveller from the Grande Rio samba school participates in the second night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 21, 2012.
Dancers perform at the Sambadrome during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Sunday, Feb. 19, 2012. Rio Carnival is a 4 day celebration which starts 40 days before Easter and finishes on Fat Tuesday with the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday.
A reveller of Sao Clemente samba school dances during the second night of carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on February 20, 2012.
Revellers of Mangueira samba school perform during the second night of carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early on February 21, 2012.
Revelers from the Grande Rio samba school participate in the second night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome February 21, 2012.
Revellers of Unidos da Tijuca samba school perform during the second night of carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early on February 21, 2012.
Revellers of the Unidos da Tijuca samba school perform during the second night of Carnival at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on February 21, 2012.
A reveller of Mangueira samba school performs with a tambourine during the second night of carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early on February 21, 2012.
A reveller of the Estacao Primeira de Mangueira samba school performs during the second night of Carnival parades at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on February 21, 2012.
Revellers from the Grande Rio samba school take part in the second night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 21, 2012.
Revellers of the Academicos do Grande Rio samba school perform during the second night of Carnival at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on February 21, 2012.
A reveller of Mangueira samba school performs with a tambourine during the second night of carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early on February 21, 2012.
A reveller of Grande Rio samba school performs during the second night of carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early on February 21, 2012.
A reveller of the Unidos da Tijuca samba school performs during the second night of Carnival at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on February 21, 2012. The processions, featuring near naked dancing queens, spectacularly imaginative floats and thousands of extras, were being held before a stadium crowd of 70,000 and an international broadcast audience.
A reveller from the Vila Isabel samba school parades on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 20, 2012.
A reveller from the Vila Isabel samba school performs during the first night of Carnival at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on February 20, 2012. The night parades in Rio’s hallowed Sambadrome marked the high point of the pre-Lent bacchanalian Carnival festival, which is bringing this racially diverse country of 191 million people, virtually to a stop.
Revellers from the Beija-Flor samba school parade on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 20, 2012.
A reveller from the Vila Isabel samba school parades on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 20, 2012.
Drum queen Sabrina Sato of the Vila Isabel samba school dances on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 20, 2012.
Revellers from the Vila Isabel samba school parade on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 20, 2012.
Revellers from the Beija-Flor samba school parade on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 20, 2012.
Revellers from the Porto da Pedra samba school parade on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 20, 2012.
A reveller from the Beija-Flor samba school parades on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 20, 2012.
Revellers from the Vila Isabel samba school parade on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 20, 2012.
Revellers from the Vila Isabel samba school perform during the first night of Carnival at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on February 20, 2012. The night parades in Rio’s hallowed Sambadrome marked the high point of the pre-Lent bacchanalian Carnival festival, which is bringing this racially diverse country of 191 million people, virtually to a stop.
Revellers from the Beija-Flor samba school parade on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 20, 2012.
Revellers from the Beija-Flor samba school parade on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 20, 2012.
A reveller of the Beija Flor samba school performs at the Sambadrome during the first night of Rio de Janeiro’s famed carnival parades on February 20, 2012.
Revellers from the Porto da Pedra samba school parade on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 20, 2012.
A reveller from the Vila Isabel samba school parades on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 20, 2012.
Revellers from the Vila Isabel samba school parade on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 20, 2012.
A reveller from the Vila Isabel samba school parades on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 20, 2012.
Revellers from the Vila Isabel samba school parade on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 20, 2012.
Revellers from the Porto da Pedra samba school parade on the first night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro’s Sambadrome February 20, 2012.
 
 
 
 
 

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