Streets during Carnaval

Nowadays, in between palaces and monuments, the streets of Rio are taken by carnaval music bands and a happy crowd in irreverent costumes!

 Santa Teresa neighborhood: The "Carmelitas", a reference and tribute to the Convent of Santa Teresa and the nuns.

Arco dos Telles, near Praça XV and the Imperial Palace

Praça Tiradentes, around the statue of the first Emperor of Brazil, Pedro I

 A very traditional costume renewed every year - os Clóvis "bate-bola"

At Cinelândia square, in front of the Opera House....

...the Museum of Fine Arts, and the National Library

Carnaval in Rio! Come!

The celebration which is now called carnival emerged in Europe in the eleventh century and was characterized by the habit of celebrating the arrival of Lent. In every European country this happened in a way. In Portugal, it was the custom of playing pranks and received the name of carnival (which means "beginning"). The celebration comes to Brazil by Portuguese colonists.
Until the nineteenth century, public roads were occupied by lower classes, among them the slaves, who were allowed to play the carnival. The game was to play any liquid or powder on each other.
https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entrudo