Summary

  • Millions of people in the Brazilian city of Rio de Janeiro are getting into the carnival spirit

  • The carnival is world famous and sees colourful parades and partygoers lining the streets of Rio's Copacabana and Ipanema beaches

  • The festival runs for several days and will culminate in a parade on Saturday 17 February

  • Authorities this year have declared a health emergency as they try to contain the spread of dengue fever

  • You can watch what's happening by pressing the play button at the top of this page - there won't be regular text updates

  1. Rio de Janeiro in party modepublished at 00:51 Greenwich Mean Time 12 February

    A reveller attends the annual Amigos da Onca block party during the carnival festivities in Rio de JaneiroImage source, Reuters

    Welcome to our live stream of the carnival in Rio de Janeiro, during which we’re expecting huge crowds to join in the revelry in this famous Brazilian city.

    Carnival is among the world's largest parties - and the one thrown by Rio de Janeiro is always exceptional. Expect the streets to be filled with colour, music and dance, complete with elaborate parades and lavish dance troupes.

    Officially meant to last five days, festivities often begin weeks in advance and last till much later.

    It is difficult to overemphasise what Rio Carnival means to Brazil. It is a joyful celebration of the country's rich history, traditions, and culture.

    We won’t be providing live text updates, but click the play button at the top of this page to see what's happening.