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  • Carnival arrives early in Rio

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Carnival arrives early in Rio

Bands, floats and dancers have taken to the streets in Brazil two weeks before the official start of the Rio de Janeiro Carnival.Despite cloudy skies and heavy rain, thousands of revellers packed the streets for a warm-up event.The Ipanema Band was one of the main acts with its drag queens and elaborate costumes.The band has been seen as a symbol of equality and democracy since it was formed in 1965, while Brazil was ruled by a military dictatorship.British tourist Lindsay Cole said: "It's very loud. There's nothing like this in England at all."It's brilliant, really good."© Independent Television News Limited 2008. All rights reserved.

ITN | January 20, 2008Watch more videos from ITN

Tags:. .british. .england. .bands. .thousands. .since











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