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Brazilian colourful Carnival

Brazilian Carnival, one of the most colorful and exciting festivals in the world, kicked off on Februry 24

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Brazilian samba dancers take part in a parade at Anhembi sambadrome as part of Carnival celebrations in Sao Paulo

© EPA/FERNANDO BIZERRA JR

Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

© AP Photo/Mauro Pimentel

Carnival of Brazil is an annual festival held between the Friday afternoon (51 days before Easter) and Ash Wednesday at noon, which marks the beginning of Lent, the forty-day period before Easter

© AP Photo/Andre Penner

Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro

© AP Photo/Leo Correa

Carnival at the Sambodrome in Rio de Janeiro

© EPA/ANTONIO LACERDA

Carnival is the most famous holiday in Brazil and has become an event of huge proportions

© AP Photo/Leo Correa

A member of the samba school dances on a parrot figure on top of a float during a parade held during Rio de Janeiro's Carnival

© EPA/ANTONIO LACERDA

Carnival celebrations in Sao Paulo

© EPA/FERNANDO BIZERRA JR

Rio de Janeiro's Carnival

© EPA/ANTONIO LACERDA

Competitors work for months to ready for Brazil's world famous Carnival parades of samba dancing, costumes and magnificent floats

© AP Photo/Andre Penner

Rio de Janeiro's Carnival

© AP Photo/Leo Correa

Carnival parade in Brazil's capital Rio de Janeiro is world famous for its samba dancers, their extravagant costumes and the magnificent floats that roll down Avenida Marques de Sapucai, also known as the “sambadrome”. Major carnival parades and other festivities also take place in other cities, including Brazil's business capital Sao Paulo. Brazilian colourful Carnival - in this gallery by TASS.

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