A Carnival party in Paraty swaps glitter and costumes for mud, as crowds cover themselves in gray sludge and celebrate as one group.

Mud-covered revelers took over the beach in Paraty, Brazil, on Saturday as part of a Carnival tradition that has grown steadily since it began 40 years ...

Hundreds of people take part in Paraty's "mud carnival", which is called Bloco da Lama. They roll around in thick, squishy mud on Jabaquara Beach until they're completely covered, before decorating ...

While Brazil’s Carnival is famous for glitter, samba and flamboyant costumes, revelers in Paraty take a very different approach. At Jabaquara Beach, participants cover themselves in thick gray mud, ...

When thinking of Brazil’s Carnival festival, the first things that come to mind are dazzling, glittering decorations and costumes featuring bold exposure. However, on a beach in southern Brazil, an ...

Revelers attend the Mud Block carnival party in Paraty, Brazil, Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026. (AP Photo/Andre Penner) ...

In Paraty, you are forced to slow down. There is, for starters, the trancelike stupor that takes hold the moment you glimpse the town, its candy-colored Portuguese-colonial buildings emerging from a ...