RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) – Rio de Janeiro's Carnival festivities kick off Saturday, with dozens of dogs dressed as mermaids, superheroes, butterflies, clowns and more taking part in the city's most beloved canine street party. The dog was paraded with its owner in one of the parades.
More than 200 people gathered in Rio's seaside Barra de Tijuca neighborhood on Saturday morning for “Brocan,'' a play on the words “broco,'' which refers to a carnival street party, and “cao,'' which means dog in Portuguese. Ta. Fluffy fashionistas in tulle and sequins took part in a contest to choose the top costume of the day.
Puppies of all sizes and breeds strutted and wagged their tails on a small stage in the middle of a leafy square. As confetti rained down, the organizers announced the contestants over a microphone.
Alana the Chihuahua was dressed as a sparkly mermaid, Trinde the Cocker Spaniel was a cloaked Hermione, and Bidu the Shih Tzu was a furry Superman. Scooby-Doo, the giant pit monster, delighted crowds as a lion with an unruly golden mane.
Pasoka, a two-year-old dachshund with 100,000 followers on Instagram, paraded it as a hot dog stuffed into a bun and topped with ketchup and mustard.
“He's an influencer,” said owner Helena Ribeiro, 32, wearing a red shirt emblazoned with a Heinz ketchup label. Pasoka's costume was inspired by his breed, she said. “It suits him!”
Rodrigo Pirola and Cecilia Mailere, both 39, matched their four-year-old basset hound Amora in an orange dress inspired by Pebbles Flintstone, Fred Flintstone and Wilma Flintstone. He appeared dressed as.
“Amora is our daughter. We are family. We go everywhere together,” Mailele told The Associated Press. “Everyone is crazy about dogs here.”
Carolina Eduardo, 27, dressed Rebecca, a 13-year-old sand-colored mongrel, in a Snow White costume and pinned a shiny black wig to her ears as the “cherry on top.”
In a nod to Rio's ubiquitous iced tea vendors (a staple on the city's beaches), three-year-old border collie mix Charlotte wears an orange outfit and holds a small tin barrel. I was carrying two.
“I love carnivals and I love parties,” said owner Veronica Beck, 47, as fellow dog lovers took pictures of Charlotte. “It's this moment of joy. And it's a way to celebrate this with our dogs, because they bring so much joy to our lives.”
Puppies and their owners braved the scorching temperatures to participate in the broco. Organizers handed out water and treat bags with treats, while canine participants stuck out their tongues and gasped in the shade.
“This year has not been easy for us because of the heat,” said organizer Marco Antonio Beira, also known as “Toto.” He noted that the main concern is the asphalt overheating, which can cause foot burns. “We have to protect the health of our animals.”
After the costume contest, Broco began walking through the plaza as dog lovers and their pets swayed to the rhythm of the Brazilian pop classic.
Twin sisters Danielly and Flavia Mendes, both 43, also joined the crowd and sang along with the audience. They have attended Broco nearly every year for the past 10 years, and on Saturday they brought the same Shih Tzus, one dressed as Superman and the other in a colorful homemade clown costume.
“As dog parents, it's part of the fun for us,” Danielly Mendez said. “It brings our community together.”
