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Carnival in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, is widely regarded as one of the biggest parties in the world. Brazilian citizens used to riot in the streets until the Carnival was accepted by the government as an expression of culture, they knew they couldn't contain it, so they organized it.

Like Mardi Gras, Carnival is celebrated immediately before Lent (the forty days before Easter where fun is discouraged) to get all the partying in while you still can. Carnival draws strongly from African and indigenous influences that meld with the European Catholic traditions to give us the outrageous cultural celebration we know as Carnival today.

Carnival is known worldwide for its elaborate parades featuring floats, Samba music and most famously: feathered, scantily clad dancers. Staged by the city's major Samba schools, the parades shimmy down Rio's "Sambadrome" (parade route) and is Rio's biggest event of the year. Samba schools all over the city practice year round. It's a chance for people to get in touch with their creative side by singing, dancing or even just beating a drum. It's also a chance to dress up, not really Halloween style, but just to be someone else for a day. It's common for the rich to dress poor, the poor to dress as aristocrats and even for men to cross-dress as women.

San Diego's Brazilian Carnival is one of the largest and most authentic Carnival events on the West Coast. It brings together San Diego's impressive Brazilian community (as well as the rest of us) to celebrate together and build a cultural bridge between Brazil and the United States.

On Saturday, February 2, 2008 Little Italy is hosting a Carnevale (Venetian Carnival) from 5pm to 10pm featuring various vignettes of entertainment, costume contests and parties. The costume contest will be held at the Piazza Basilone on India and Fir Streets at 6:30pm with awards given on for: Best All Around, Best Couple and Funniest.

The main San Diego Carnival event is Saturday night at the San Diego 4th and B from 9pm - 2am. $30 gets you in to San Diego Brazil Carnival 2008, a "Spectacular Samba Show" featuring dancers in glittering costumes covered in sequins, beads and feathers accompanied by percussionists playing the authentic rhythms of Rio de Janeiro. Featured acts include Flavio Riberio e Unidos da California Samba School, Mark Lamson e Sol e Mar, Chalo Eduardo, Samba CHOPPS, Capoeira Brasil, ElektroVibe Tribe, and the Shimmy Sisters.

On Sunday, February 3, 2008 head on over to Café Sevilla downtown for the Carnival After Party featuring more Samba, Marcha, Batucada and Axe Music. The difference here is that they offer Samba lessons at 9:30pm so you can learn how to join in on the fun.

On Monday you might want to take it easy, go see Wyclef Jean at the House of Blues then head straight to bed because Tuesday is the much anticipated San Diego Gaslamp Mardi Gras. Stay tuned for 2008 Mardi Gras details!