Last night wrapped up Rio’s Carnaval parades in Rio de Janeiro. This year’s winner was Vila Isabel. Mangueira, one of Rio’s older samba schools that has participated in the parades for decades, took the Gold Standard award on Monday night. In spite of going 6 minutes over the 90-minute limit for each school, Mangeira still managed to win not only the Gold Standard in the 42nd year of the award, but also the prizes for the best flag-bearer (here is an example of the flag-bearer costumes) and best group of baianas (women wearing an ornate version more traditional Afro-Brazilian outfit with origins in the Northeastern part of the country), among others. Other prizes went to Salgeiro for the best theme, and Portela, for the best drumming. In the “second division,” Imperio Serrano won the Gold Standard, meaning it will join the “first division” that parades on Sunday and Monday night next year. Below are pictures from the second night of the parades (you can see photos from the first night here).
G.R.E.S. Mangueira (“Cuiabá: Um Paraíso no Centro da América!,” about the capital of the interior state of Mato Grosso)
G.R.E.S. São Clemente (“Horário Nobre (das 8 ou das 9, é sempre 10!)”, focusing on telenovelas)
G.R.E.S. Beija-Flor (“Amigo Fiel, do cavalo do amanhecer ao Mangalarga Marchador,” a theme on horses, among other things)
G.R.E.S. Imperatriz Leopoldinense (“Pará, o Muiraquitã do Brasil – Sobre a nudez forte da verdade, o manto diáfano da fantasia,” on the state Pará)
G.R.E.S. Vila Isabel (A Vila Canta o Brasil Celeiro do Mundo – Água no feijão que chegou mais um…,” a theme focusing on agriculture and farmers)
- Acadêmicos do Grande Rio (“Amo o Rio e vou à luta: Ouro negro sem disputa… Contra a injustiça em defesa do Rio,” a political theme on oil revenues in Rio de Janeiro)
Americas South and North 
