<P> Unlike Salvador and Rio, the festivities in Recife, Olinda and Itamaraca do not include group competitions . Instead, groups dance and play instruments side by side . Troças and maracatus, mostly of African influence, begin one week before Carnival and end a week later . Some well - known groups have funny names, such as: Tell me you love me, damn eggymann (with a famous giant dancing doll that leads the group), Crazy Lover, Olinda's Underpants, and The Door . Held 40 days before Lent . </P> <P> The carnival in São Paulo takes place in the Anhembi Sambadrome on the Friday and Saturday night of the week of Carnival, as opposed to Rio's Carnival, which is held on Sunday and Monday night . </P> <P> Various "samba schools" compete in a huge parade . Each school presents a different theme, which they expose through their costumes, dance, music, and the allegorical cars or "carros alegóricos", huge vehicles decorated according to the theme designed specifically for the parade . </P> <P> The schools are responsible for choosing their own themes, which usually revolve around historical happenings or some sort of cultural or political movement . </P>

A great city on the coast of brazil with a famous carnival