Let's Party: Carnival begins in Rio

Let's Party: Carnival begins in Rio

Rio de Janeiro has kicked off the five days of over-the-top parades and raucous, alcohol-soaked street parties that make up its world-famous Carnival celebrations.

Let's Party: Carnival begins in Rio

Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes on Thursday handed over the keys of the city to King Momo, the mythical jester who reigns over the extravaganza.

Let's Party: Carnival begins in Rio

This year’s celebration will be a chance for Brazilians to forget the recent avalanche of bad news, from a stalling economy to rising crime to an ongoing corruption scandal at state-run oil giant Petrobras.

Let's Party: Carnival begins in Rio

More than 450 street parties are slated to bring millions of people onto Rio streets, including some 970,000 tourists. Paes says the visitors are expected to inject around $780 million into the local economy.

Let's Party: Carnival begins in Rio

Carnival wraps up on Wednesday.