Dogs in costumes parade in Brazil

Fluffy fashionistas kick off Carnival celebration

As Rio de Janeiro’s Carnival celebrations kicked off on Saturday, dozens of dogs dressed as mermaids, superheroes, butterflies and clowns paraded alongside their owners in one of the city’s most beloved canine street parties.

The Blocão — a play on words that joins “bloco,” which refers to Carnival street parties and “cão,” or dog in Portuguese — gathered over 200 people in Rio’s beachside Barra de Tijuca neighborhood on Saturday morning. Clad in tulle and sequins, fluffy fashionistas took part in a contest to choose the day’s top costumes.

On a small stage in the middle of a leafy square, pups of all sizes and breeds strutted and wagged their tails. Organizers announced the contestants over a microphone as confetti rained down.

Alana the chihuahua was dressed as a glittery mermaid, Trinde the cocker spaniel as a cape-wearing Hermione, and Bidu the Shihtzu as a furry Superman. Scooby Doo, a massive pit monster, was a crowd-pleaser as a lion with an unruly golden mane.

Paçoca, a 2-year-old dachshund with 100,000 followers on Instagram, paraded as a hot dog — stuffed in a bun and topped with ketchup and mustard.

“He’s an influencer,” said his owner Helena Ribeiro, 32, who wore a red shirt emblazoned with a Heinz ketchup label. Paçoca’s costume, she said, was inspired by his breed. “It suits him!”

Rodrigo Pirola and Cecilia Myrele, both 39, came dressed as Fred and Wilma Flintstone, matching their 4-year-old basset hound Amora, who wore an orange dress inspired by Pebbles Flintstone.

“Amora is our daughter; we are a family. We go everywhere together,” Myrele told the Associated Press. “Here, everybody is crazy in love with dogs.”

Silvia Izquierdo The Associated Press Revelers pet a costumed dog during the Blocão dog Carnival parade Saturday in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.