Entrudo is the Portuguese festival tradition considered a major predecessor of Rio de Janeiro Carnival.
Portuguese colonists brought Entrudo to Brazil during the colonial period. The celebration involved public water, flour, and scented-liquid games, especially before Lent. In Rio de Janeiro, these customs gradually became associated with the city’s pre-Lenten festivities.
Entrudo was not identical to the modern samba-school Carnival. It was a broader popular festival, and authorities repeatedly tried to restrict its messier street practices. Over time, masked balls, cordões, ranchos, blocos, and samba schools developed into distinct Carnival forms.
A common mix-up is treating Entrudo as another name for the Sambadrome parades. The Sambadrome tradition is much newer, while Entrudo belongs to the colonial and imperial history of Brazilian Carnival.