“The decision was made respecting for the current situation of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil and the need, at this time, to preserve lives and join forces to drive vaccination throughout the country,” read a statement signed jointly by the cities of Rio and São Paulo to The Associated Press.

As of now, the celebrations are slated to begin on April 21, 2022. Carnival is usually celebrated throughout February and into early March.

When Rio’s famed Carnival samba parade at Marques de Sapucai Sambadrome returns, the legendary street celebrations that typically surround are still unsure what their carnival will look like, according to mayors of the major Brazilian cities.

The AP reported that the Mayor Rio’s Mayor Eduardo Paes, and São Paulo Mayor Ricardo Nunes have come to a joint decision that street parties will not look like they have in years past, but the two have yet to clarify what guidelines the parties and celebrations will follow.

Rio’s Carnival typically includes a formal samba parade as well as a collection of street parties, all marked by festive, feathered, and absolutely wild costumes. The city’s official samba parade features performances from the country’s top samba schools, which devote months preparing to compete with one another.

Still, this year’s Carnival celebration in Rio is a step above last year when the city was forced to cancel the entire event. Brazilians have danced through wars, repressive military rule, even the flu pandemic of 1918 and 1919, The New York Times notes.

While Carnival is celebrated around the world in places including Venice, Trinidad and Tobago, and New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro is home to one of the world’s most famous parties. Rio’s Carnival celebration is among the largest in the world and traces its history to the early 1700s.