[custom_adv] 1 March in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) is a colorful annual carnival. On the first day of spring, on March 1, the mayor traditionally was given the key to the king of the carnival that marked the beginning of a national holiday. [custom_adv] Incredible outfits and costumes, endless fireworks, all-consuming music these days draw in Rio hundreds of thousands of Brazilians and foreign tourists. [custom_adv] It is expected that the carnival will consist of two parts — the people’s carnival with the participation of Amateurs and the official part in which will compete the best Samba schools from across Brazil. [custom_adv] The main event of the carnival is the competition-parade of the Samba schools. Each team of the 12 major dance schools in the country prepares the brightly decorated platform, which serves as the stage. [custom_adv] Daily for 80 minutes on the platforms are the dancers. The performance of the Samba schools are judged out of 40 judges. The results of the competition are usually announced on the day of the carnival.Professional dancers and musicians in colorful costumes will entertain residents and tourists throughout the week. [custom_adv] There are street parades. Some participants decided to turn the celebration to peaceful protest. [custom_adv] Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is one of the biggest parties in the world, began with the traditional opening ritual. Vacationers filled the streets in extravagant costumes and dancing Samba on the countless parades throughout the city. [custom_adv] In Rio de Janeiro, tens of thousands of spectators jammed into the Sambadrome to watch the spectacle of samba-school floats, dancers, and extravagant costumes during Carnival. [custom_adv] Even more people took part in the many blocos, or street parties, dancing and drinking into the wee hours of the night. [custom_adv] Collected here are images from Rio and São Paulo, Brazil, during Carnival 2019.