Welcome to Rio de Janeiro's samba parade. Taking place over four days of Carnival at the city's Sambadrome, the parade is actually a giant competition involving 70 samba schools. The winners take part in a champions' parade on February 16.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
Welcome to Rio de Janeiro's samba parade. Taking place over four days of Carnival at the city's Sambadrome, the parade is actually a giant competition involving 70 samba schools. The winners take part in a champions' parade on February 16.
ANTONIO SCORZA/AFP/Getty Images
Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school perform wearing elaborate costumes during Carnival parades at the Sambadrome.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school perform wearing elaborate costumes during Carnival parades at the Sambadrome.
CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images
It's hard to envy the makeup removal ordeal that awaits this reveler from the Vila Isabel samba school.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba paradee —
It's hard to envy the makeup removal ordeal that awaits this reveler from the Vila Isabel samba school.
CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Image
Like something out of the 1980 film "Flash Gordon," this performer from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school shows off the pearly whites. This samba school is the defending champion.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
Like something out of the 1980 film "Flash Gordon," this performer from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school shows off the pearly whites. This samba school is the defending champion.
VANDERLEI ALMEIDA/AFP/Getty Images
More than 500,000 foreign visitors flock to the carnival each year to dance, shout, drink and surge around in happy mobs, watching dancers like this one of Vila Isabel samba school.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
More than 500,000 foreign visitors flock to the carnival each year to dance, shout, drink and surge around in happy mobs, watching dancers like this one of Vila Isabel samba school.
ANTONIO SCORZA/AFP/Getty Images
What began as street parades developed into a more organized competition among top samba schools from Brazil and abroad.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
What began as street parades developed into a more organized competition among top samba schools from Brazil and abroad.
CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images
Nudity is not officially allowed. This may be the most surprising item on this list of rules, given some of the "costumes" we've seen and couldn't publish.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
Nudity is not officially allowed. This may be the most surprising item on this list of rules, given some of the "costumes" we've seen and couldn't publish.
ANTONIO SCORZA/AFP/Getty Images
Approximately 3,000 to 5,000 members of each school participate in full-blown costumes that differ every year. Pictured here are members of Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
Approximately 3,000 to 5,000 members of each school participate in full-blown costumes that differ every year. Pictured here are members of Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school.
ANTONIO SCORZA/AFP/Getty Images
Carnival combines samba -- music and dance which grew out of Brazil's black neighborhoods with the Catholic tradition of celebrating the run-up to Lent.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
Carnival combines samba -- music and dance which grew out of Brazil's black neighborhoods with the Catholic tradition of celebrating the run-up to Lent.
CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images
Thousands of performers took part in Rio de Janeiro's Carnival samba parade. The event is famed for its color, dancing, amazing costumes and beautiful performers. Here, a member of the Vila Isabel samba school gets into the spirit.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
Thousands of performers took part in Rio de Janeiro's Carnival samba parade. The event is famed for its color, dancing, amazing costumes and beautiful performers. Here, a member of the Vila Isabel samba school gets into the spirit.
CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images
Brazil's annual Carnival is a four-day festival that takes place just before Lent. Pictured here, a reveler of Vila Isabel samba school.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
Brazil's annual Carnival is a four-day festival that takes place just before Lent. Pictured here, a reveler of Vila Isabel samba school.
CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images
Astounding headgear from the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school -- there are more than 70 samba schools in Rio and each parades during the four days of Carnival.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
Astounding headgear from the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school -- there are more than 70 samba schools in Rio and each parades during the four days of Carnival.
VANDERLEI ALMEIDA/AFP/Getty Images
Neighborhoods across the city host block parties that attract revelers by the thousands -- sometimes more than a million. They drink and dance behind samba bands that wind their way through the streets.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
Neighborhoods across the city host block parties that attract revelers by the thousands -- sometimes more than a million. They drink and dance behind samba bands that wind their way through the streets.
ANTONIO SCORZA/AFP/Getty Images
Carnival is organized mainly by samba schools and residents from Rio's favelas. Though carnivals have been celebrated for centuries, samba schools have taken part in Rio Carnival from only the 1920s.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
Carnival is organized mainly by samba schools and residents from Rio's favelas. Though carnivals have been celebrated for centuries, samba schools have taken part in Rio Carnival from only the 1920s.
VANDERLEI ALMEIDA/AFP/Getty Images
Life and death from the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school. This school won the parade three times in a row from 1999-2001.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
Life and death from the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school. This school won the parade three times in a row from 1999-2001.
VANDERLEI ALMEIDA/AFP/Getty Images
Somehow, a giant dragonfly and footballs seem entirely suitable at Rio Carnival. This ambitious float didn't fare well, crashing into a TV tower soon after this photo was taken. Though there were no reports of casualties, elsewhere in the country <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedition.cnn.com%2F2013%2F02%2F12%2Fworld%2Famericas%2Fbrazil-carnival-deaths%2Findex.html%3Fhpt%3Dhp_t3">four people were tragically electrocuted when a float struck power lines</a> in the port city of Santos.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
Somehow, a giant dragonfly and footballs seem entirely suitable at Rio Carnival. This ambitious float didn't fare well, crashing into a TV tower soon after this photo was taken. Though there were no reports of casualties, elsewhere in the country four people were tragically electrocuted when a float struck power lines in the port city of Santos.
ANTONIO SCORZA/AFP/Getty Images
Among the more colorful processions was this one from the Academicos do Grande Rio samba school. The Sambodromo was built specifically for the parade by famed Brazilian architect, the <a href="index.php?page=&url=http%3A%2F%2Fedition.cnn.com%2F2012%2F12%2F06%2Fworld%2Famericas%2Fbrazil-niemeyer-obit">late Oscar Niemeyer</a>. The venue was inaugurated in 1984 and fits about 90,000 spectators.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
Among the more colorful processions was this one from the Academicos do Grande Rio samba school. The Sambodromo was built specifically for the parade by famed Brazilian architect, the late Oscar Niemeyer. The venue was inaugurated in 1984 and fits about 90,000 spectators.
CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images
A Carnival-style tribute from the Mocidade Independente samba school to Brazil's football-mad culture and the country's hosting of the next FIFA World Cup.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
A Carnival-style tribute from the Mocidade Independente samba school to Brazil's football-mad culture and the country's hosting of the next FIFA World Cup.
ANTONIO SCORZA/AFP/Getty Images)
A reveler of Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school performs during the second night of Carnival parades at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on February 12, 2013.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
A reveler of Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school performs during the second night of Carnival parades at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on February 12, 2013.
CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images
Pounding drums and fireworks explosions announce the start of each samba school that parades down the emblematic strip -- in this case the Vila Isabel samba school.
Rio de Janeiro's epic samba parade —
Pounding drums and fireworks explosions announce the start of each samba school that parades down the emblematic strip -- in this case the Vila Isabel samba school.
CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP/Getty Images