Get out the glitter, drums and jewel-encrusted bikinis: Rio de Janeiro will dance through the night at its famed carnival this weekend, a re-embrace of samba spirit after the turmoil of Covid-19 and Brazil's bitterly divisive elections.

The world's biggest carnival, which has in reality been under way for weeks with massive street parties, will officially open Friday (Feb 17), and peak Sunday and Monday nights with the annual samba school parade competition.