In Rio and beyond, Carnival brings euphoria and release to Brazilians
Carnival in the Brazilian city has two sides: the street parties, known as blocos, and the parades at the legendary Sambadrome.
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Brazil Carnival A performer from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school dances during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, March 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Beija-Flor samba school dance during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival A performer from the Grande Rio samba school dances during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival A performer from the Grande Rio samba school dances during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Musicians from the Grande Rio samba school perform during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Drum queen Lorena Raissa from Beija-Flor samba school performs during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival The drum director from the Mocidade samba school gestures during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Mocidade samba school dance during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Grande Rio samba school dance during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Drum queen Fabiola de Andrade from the Mocidade samba school performs during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival A performer from the Vila Isabel samba school dances during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Vila Isabel samba school dance during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival A performer from the Mocidade samba school directs a float alongside artificial intelligence images of Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, left, and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Drum queen Viviane Araujo from Salgueiro performs during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival A performer from the Mocidade samba school dances during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Mocidade samba school dance during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Paraiso do Tuiuti samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Vila Isabel samba school dance during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school dance during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, March 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Musicians from the Beija-Flor samba school perform during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, March 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Mocidade samba school look out from a float during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Drum queen Sabrina Sato from Vila Isabel performs during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Vila Isabel samba school dance during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival A performer from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school dances during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, March 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival A performer from the Mocidade samba school dances on a float during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school dance during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, March 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival A performer from the Grande Rio samba school dances during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Grande Rio samba school parade on a float during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Paraiso do Tuiuti samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Portela samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Brazil Carnival Drum queen Viviane Araujo from Salgueiro performs during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Paraiso do Tuiuti samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Brazil Carnival A performer from the Paraiso do Tuiuti samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Brazil Carnival A performer from the Paraiso do Tuiuti samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Brazil Carnival A performer from the Salgueiro samba school parades on a float during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Paraiso do Tuiuti samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Grande Rio samba school parade on a float during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Drum queen Paola Oliveira from Grande Rio samba school performs during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Mocidade samba school parade on a float during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Brazil Carnival Fans cheer during the the Portela samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Paraiso do Tuiuti samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Brazil Carnival Brazilian singer Milton Nascimento is honored by Portela samba school during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Portela samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Brazil Carnival A performer from the Paraiso do Tuiuti samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Mocidade samba school parade on a float during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Mocidade samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Tuesday, March 4, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Brazil Carnival A performer from the Paraiso do Tuiuti samba school parades on a float during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Brazil Carnival Performers from the Portela samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Brazil Carnival Drum queen Bianca Monteiro, from the Portela samba school, performs during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Wednesday, March 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
