The Brazilian Carnival is an annual celebration, celebrated forty days before Easter (marking the start of Lent), in Brazil. It has some differences from its counterparts in Europe, as well there being variations across the large Brazilian territory. The Brazilian Carnival is known in Brazil simply as "carnaval".

It is the biggest popular cultural manifestation event besides football in Brazil. It is a mix of entertainment, party, theater show that involves arts and folklore. It had its origin basically in the streets, but in most of the big capitals it is restricted to closed areas as sambódromos and clubs.

The main festivity in Brazilian Carnival takes place in Rio de Janeiro, with its samba schools, blocos and bandas which occupy entire neighbourhoods. In some cities of the Northeastern Region, there is another form of the Brazilian Carnival: the Trio Elétrico. A trio elétrico is an adapted truck, with giant speakers and a platform where musicians play songs of local genres such as Axé music and Maracatu.



In the late 19th Century, the cordões (literally "laces" in Portuguese) were introduced in Rio de Janeiro, which consisted of groups of people that would walk on the streets playing music and dancing. The cordões were ancestors of the modern samba's school.