Thousands of performers paraded through the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on Monday night.

Under a display of fireworks, the Imperio da Tijuca samba school opened the second night of the carnival.

Members of six samba schools danced, sang and performed through the Sambadrome to participate in the competition that ends at dawn on Tuesday.

Each school parades for 80 minutes and is judged in 10 categories, from the quality of the drum sections to the beauty of the costumes.

Carnival officially ends on Ash Wednesday for the beginning of the sombre Christian season of Lent, leading up to Easter.