Time for Carnival! Celebrations kick off across Brazil but it's all too racy for Rio's new bishop mayor who SKIPS the opening ceremony claiming 'his wife is ill'

Carnival-goers showed off their extravagant costumes and opulent head-dresses as thousands danced in the streets on the first night of the five-day festival in cities across Brazil, including Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo. A range of colourful outfits were on display, including the Brazilian flag based
costumes worn by one group (bottom). The opening bash in Rio, however, got off to an odd start after the city's evangelical mayor Marcelo Crivella delayed the start, before skipping it entirely.

Revellers across Brazil took to the streets as Carnival celebrations got underway - but Rio's new evangelical mayor pulled out of the racy opening ceremony at the last minute, saying his wife was ill

Carnival-goers showed off their extravagant costumes and opulent head-dresses as thousands danced in the streets

A variety of colourful costumes were on display at the Carnival parade in Sao Paulo, including Brazilian-flag themed outfits

Dancers took to the streets in Sao Paulo on the first night of the carnival, including a woman in a glitzy two-piece costume

A samba dancer wearing a stunning headdress performing during the opulent carnival parade in Sao Paulo on Friday

A selection weird and wonderful costumes were on display on the first night of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, featuring extravagant feathers and some very risque ensembles

Performers pulled out all the stops for the opening bash of the Rio Carnival, with one woman showing off an incredible heart-themed ensemble

Glamorous women wearing skimpy two-piece costumes and adorned with feathers danced the night away in Rio

'Carnival is a very nice and democratic party,' said partygoer Nilse Azevedo. 'Whoever wants to pray, prays. Whoever wants to have fun in the street has fun.'

But it was the odd opening to the iconic festival, which brings in more than $ 1 billion to Rio each year, that was the talk of the day.

At the sambadrome, where top league samba schools begin competing on Sunday, revelers waited Friday for the traditional handing over of the city's key to 'Rei Momo,' or the king of carnal delights. This was always done with great fanfare by former Mayor Eduardo Paes.

But the current mayor, Crivella, decided to send the head of Rio's tourism agency to represent him at the opening ceremony. Even stranger was the quick removal of Rei Momo, who did not give interviews as usual and was escorted out of the sambadrome by security guards.

A glamorous dancer showed off her gold-themed costume during the carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro on Friday

Despite it being a difficult time economically for Brazil, the opening night parades were an incredible display of opulence

Performers showed off their costumes while being carried on top of extravagant floats during the carnival parade in Rio

A samba dancer shows off her spectacular, and rather daring, costume during the Sao Paulo carnival parade

A samba dancer takes part in a parade at Anhembi Sambadrome as part of the carnival celebrations in Sao Paulo

A dancer performs alongside a dragon on the first night of the carnival parade at the Sambadrome in Sao Paulo

Fabulous costumes filled the streets of Rio de Janeiro on Friday night, as revellers showed off their feathered headdresses

Spectators from all around the world gathered in Rio for the opening night of the Carnival. Pictured is one of the performers that took part in the parade

A topless samba dancer showed off her colourful feathers during the first night of the party in Rio de Janerio

Carnival King Momo, Fabio Damiao dos Santos Antunes, held up the key to the city at the opening ceremony, marking the start of the celebrations. Mayor Marcelo Crivella had delayed the start of the ceremony, before skipping it entirely

Latin America's largest nation is also recovering from a brutal impeachment fight last year that led to the removal of President Dilma Rousseff for illegal mismanagement of the budget. The man who replaced her, Michel Temer, is deeply unpopular.

Temer and several others in both chambers of Congress have been caught up, either through formal charges or in plea bargains, in a massive corruption probe that has jailed dozens of politicians and businessmen in the last few years. Temer denies wrongdoing.

One of Rio's big block parties is dedicated to the president. It's theme: 'Out with Temer!'

In Sao Paulo, where samba school competitions get started Friday night, there was heavy rain and thunder. Some streets in the eastern part of the megacity were flooding. Images on Globo Television show cars fully submerged and floating.
Revellers take part in the 'Fora Temer' (Out Temer) block party, referring to Brazil's President Michel Temer, during pre-carnival festivities in Rio Janeiro