The competition took place at the Samborome, where over 70,000 visitors crowded near a 700-meter runway in a poor district in the city's north.
Twelve of Brazil's top samba schools presented their programs to try and win the title of most creative and imaginative group in this year's carnival.
Due to technical problems and poor weather several groups delayed their performance and last year's champions, the Beija Flor dancing school, began its performance at sunrise.
During the competition, each group could receive up to 10 points in 10 categories, including performance, choreography, originality of the costumes and decorations. The 2008 champions will be announced on February 6, after all the marks have been counted.
In their performances samba dancers reflected themes in Brazilian history, mythology, natural resources and, even, its rich multicultural make up.
The samba evening began with a display by the Mocidade school, whose members, dressed as Portuguese soldiers, danced around huge galleons, representing the country's role in creating a modern Brazilian civilization.
The Porto da Pedra school's dance was designed to allegorically mark the 100th anniversary of Japanese immigrants arriving on the first ship to Brazil, which has the world's largest Japanese community.
The Unidos do Viradouro school caused a sensation by wearing gags over the participants mouths in a silent protest against a decision to ban their performance depicting the Holocaust.
Over a 48-hour period the group put together a new program, It Gives You Goosebumps, with hundreds of dancers dressed as cockroaches, Edward Scissorhands and creatures from the movie 'The Alien.'
