AP PHOTOS: A Carnival day in Brazil, from a morning street party to an evening samba parade

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Drum queen Mayara Lima from Paraiso do Tuiuti samba school performs during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

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FILE - Revelers parade on wooden stilts during a pre-Carnival street party rehearsal, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Jan. 21, 2024. A boom in stilt walking has altered the landscape of the world’s biggest Carnival, where hundreds of stilt walkers tower over the many raucous parties that occupy and dominate public areas. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado, File)

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Raquel Poti performs on stilts during the “Ceu na Terra” or Heaven on Earth pre-Carnival street party, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

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Revelers dance during a pre-carnival “Bloco da Gold” street party, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

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A woman holds up her son dressed as Simba from the Lion King, during the “Ceu na Terra” or Heaven on Earth pre-Carnival street party, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Feb. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

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Musicians perform at the “Cordao do Boitata” street pre-carnival party in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

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A child coated in silver body paint, smiles during the “Loucura Suburbana,” or Suburban Madness pre-Carnival parade, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

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Performers dance prior a ceremony that marks the official start of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

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Revelers wait for the start of the Carmelitas street party on the first day of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

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Dancers from the Dragoes da Real samba school perform on a float during a carnival parade in Sao Paulo early Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

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A reveler performs during the Amigos da Onca Carnival street party, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

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A dog dons an alligator costume during the “Blocao” dog Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

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A sound truck popularly referred to as an electric trio makes its way through a street crowded with revelers during the “Vumbora” Carnival street party in Salvador, Brazil, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

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A dancer from the Gavioes da Fiel samba school performs during a Carnival parade in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)

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A reveler wearing a costume made from beer and soda cans takes part in the ‘Bloco da Latinha’ street party Carnival parade in Madre de Deus, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)

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Performers prepare for the start of the Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

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A performer from Porto da Pedra samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

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A performer from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

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Performers from the Salgueiro samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

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A performer from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

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Performers from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school parade on a float during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

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Performers from the Mocidade samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)

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Performers from the Paraiso do Tuiuti samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

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Paraiso do Tuiuti samba school dancers carry their high heels to rehearsal where they will practice for upcoming Carnival parades in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Jan. 15, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

A typical Carnival day in Brazil starts around 7 a.m., when the first blocos — as the free street parties are known — start their loud and colorful musical journey down the city’s streets. Drummers, stilt walkers, trumpet players and other performers, all dressed up and lacquered in glitter, attract thousands of followers.

Blocos are thematic, inspiring the costumes and songs of their followers. In Rio alone, the city authorized 500 street parties this year.

On Saturday, a dog donned an alligator costume during the Blocão dog Carnival parade, a play on words that joins “bloco” and “cão,” or dog in Portuguese. In northeastern Brazil’s Madre de Deus, there is even an aluminum can street party, where performers dress up in gigantic outfits made from approximately 1,600 cans gathered over the course of the previous months, then thoroughly washed to dispose of lingering odors.

Some blocos are powered by behemoth sound trucks known as electric trios, others by small fanfares.

From the different street parties, which usually end in the evening, some revelers move onto the Sambadrome, where samba schools parade and compete to win the annual title.

From giant unicorns to greater-than-life divinities, the samba schools spend much of the year preparing massive floats and churning out elaborate costumes to enact a parade before millions of spectators, both present and watching live on television.

Not PARSE.LY: