Rio carnival will officially start today

Rio de Janeiro: Get out the glitter, drums and jewel-encrusted bikinis: Rio de Janeiro will dance through the night at its famed carnival this weekend, a reembrace of samba spirit after the turmoil of Covid-19 and Brazil´s bitterly divisive elections.

The world´s biggest carnival, which has in reality been under way for weeks with massive street parties, will officially open Friday, and peak Sunday and Monday nights with the annual samba school parade competition.

Rio held a reduced version of carnival last year, postponed by two months because of the pandemic, and minus the epic street parties known as "blocos."

This year, the full-on festival is back -- and the samba schools are racing to put the finishing touches on the sparkling costumes and over-the-top floats that are its trademarks.

"We always give it everything we´ve got. We work until dawn, we sleep right here, we have no social lives. Whatever it takes to bring people that happiness on carnival day," said Rogerio Sampaio, 54, a prop master at the Viradouro samba school.

The festivities officially start Friday, when Mayor Eduardo Paes symbolically hands the key to the city to "King Momo," the jovial "monarch" who "rules" Rio for carnival.

Paes, an avowed carnival lover, calls it "the greatest show on Earth."

Officials are expecting a sold-out crowd of more than 70,000 people each night at the "Sambadrome," the avenue-turned-stadium where the 12 topflight samba schools will compete for the coveted title of parade champions.

Millions more people will be watching on live TV.