Mayor Eduardo Paes traditionally handed over the glittering city key to "King Momo", the symbolic figure of the carnival. Dozens of carnival groups – the so-called blocos – will parade through the streets of the districts to create atmosphere.
The city administration approved 453 moves this season. A total of seven million people are expected in the city for the world-famous carnival, which will generate an economic turnover of five billion reais (about 934 million euros)