Traveling Carnival's City Stops: A Journey Through Fun And Adventure

Carnivals are a festive tradition that occurs before Lent, a period of fasting. They are celebrated all over the world, from the streets of Europe to the Caribbean islands.

Carnivals are a time of public celebrations, including parades, street parties, and other entertainments, with elements of a circus. People wear elaborate costumes and masks, allowing them to set aside their everyday identities and experience a sense of social unity.

The number of cities that travelling carnivals go to can vary. In 1902, there were 17 travelling carnivals in the US; this number grew to 46 in 1905 and by 1937, there were an estimated 300 carnivals touring the country.

Carnivals are a time of indulgence before the fasting period of Lent. People often consume alcohol, meat, and other foods that will be forgone during Lent. It is also a time for people to indulge in their sexual desires.

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Rio de Janeiro's Carnival celebration is considered the biggest carnival in the world, with two million people per day on the streets. The Carnival is held annually before Lent, usually in February or March, and lasts for five days. The festival originated in the 16th and 17th centuries when it was brought to Brazil by Portuguese colonizers. Over time, the festival evolved to include masks, costumes, and music.

The main attraction of the Rio Carnival is the parade at the Sambadrome, a nearly 2,300-foot-long stadium designed by the renowned Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. The Sambadrome hosts the top samba schools, which compete for cash and nationwide fame. The competition features a series of performances by each school's roughly 3,000 members, who sing and dance nonstop for 90 minutes, adorned in extravagant costumes and parading atop massive floats. The schools are judged on several categories, including song lyrics, drumming cadence and precision, costumes, overall harmony, and allegorical theme.

In addition to the Sambadrome parade, Rio de Janeiro also hosts street parades and concerts in various neighbourhoods throughout the city. These events, called "blocos," are arranged by different samba groups and range in size, style, and crowd attendance. Some "blocos" take place on small neighbourhood streets, while others draw crowds of up to a million people in the city centre. The "blocos" offer a more intimate experience, allowing visitors to witness how locals celebrate the Carnival.

The Rio Carnival is a vibrant and exuberant celebration, renowned for its samba dancing, live music, colourful costumes, and lively revelry. It is a showcase of Brazilian culture and a highly anticipated event, attracting millions of visitors from all over the world.

Venice, Italy

The Carnival of Venice, or Carnevale di Venezia, is an annual festival held in the city of Venice, Italy. It is one of the biggest celebrations in Italy and is famous for its elaborate costumes and masks. The Carnival traces its origins to the Middle Ages and the Venetian victory over the Patriarch of Aquileia in 1162.

The festival was abolished in 1797 under the rule of the Holy Roman Emperor Francis II, but it gradually reappeared in the 19th century, particularly in private feasts. In 1979, the Italian government decided to revive the Carnival as a way to bring back the history and culture of Venice, and it has since become a major attraction, with approximately 3 million visitors attending each year.

The Carnival of Venice is a two-week celebration that includes various events such as masquerade balls, a candle-lit parade of boats, concerts, and street performances. The festival ends on Shrove Tuesday, also known as Mardi Gras, which is the day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday.

One of the most important events during the Carnival is the contest for "la maschera più bella" ("the most beautiful mask"), judged by a panel of international costume and fashion designers. The winning costumes in recent years have included "Dragon Baby" by Cinzia Mandrelli and her brother Piersante in 2022, and "Astrostar" by Karen Duthoit in 2023.

The tradition of mask-making and wearing has a long history in Venice. Maskmakers, or "mascherari," enjoyed a special position in society, with their own laws and guild. The masks could be made of leather, porcelain, or glass, and they often had symbolic and practical functions. Today, the masks are more elaborate and decorative, and they are considered a form of artistic expression.

The Carnival of Venice is a unique and colourful celebration, attracting visitors from all over the world to experience the festive atmosphere, exquisite costumes, and rich history of this floating city.

New Orleans, USA

New Orleans, Louisiana, is one of the best-known destinations for Carnival celebrations in the United States. Known as Mardi Gras, the New Orleans Carnival is often called "the greatest free party on earth". The Carnival is celebrated with street parades, masquerade balls, and other activities. The parades take place throughout the city's streets, with some routes for floats only and others for walking.

The Carnival celebrations in New Orleans are steeped in history and tradition. The city's French Quarter is a must-visit, with its romantic restaurants serving heaping helpings of savoury Creole cuisine, and nightclubs and street musicians playing toe-tapping jazz. The French Quarter is also home to eerie St. Louis Cemetery No. 1, where you can hear the ghosts whisper.

New Orleans' Carnival is a time of great indulgence before Lent, with drinking, overeating, and various other activities. It is common to eat pancakes, doughnuts, and other desserts as a final treat before the fasting period. The Carnival is also a time for Christians to ponder what Lenten sacrifices they will make.

The parades in New Orleans feature colourful floats and costumed revellers. The costumes are often witty and satirical, poking fun at current affairs, especially political and social events. The Carnival is also a time for music, with brass bands and steel pan competitions.

New Orleans' Carnival is not just celebrated on the days leading up to Ash Wednesday but is a year-round event, with parades and balls taking place throughout the year. The city's krewes, or social organisations, plan parties and balls that are not to be missed.

If you're looking for a unique Carnival experience, New Orleans is the place to be, with its mix of old-world charm, lively music, and indulgent food and drinks. So put on your mask and get ready to party like there's no tomorrow!

Salvador de Bahia, Brazil

The Salvador Carnival is a pre-Lenten celebration that always occurs in the lead-up to Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. The festival officially lasts for six days, from the Thursday before Ash Wednesday until noon on Ash Wednesday itself. However, related events can take place immediately before and after, extending the celebrations to up to twelve days.

The Salvador Carnival is famous for its large street parties, attracting over 2 million people, including 1.5 million tourists. The celebrations happen simultaneously in many sites, with the most famous being the Campo Grande track in the upper part of the city, the Barra-Ondina track by the shore, and Pelourinho, a historical neighbourhood. The event is open to everyone, with all encouraged to join in the fun, celebration, music, dance, and culture.

The Salvador Carnival is also known for its Bahian drummers and the Trio Elétricos, large 18-wheel freight trucks with amplified sound systems and stages on top. The trucks drive through the carnival circuits, blasting music or featuring live musical performances. The Trio Elétricos are considered the heart of the Salvador Carnival.

The Salvador Carnival is a spontaneous celebration, with no samba schools or samba parades. Instead, it is a wild and authentic street party, with giant moving street parties called blocos. To join a bloco, you simply need to buy a t-shirt, which acts as your entry ticket. Each bloco will follow a particular band through the streets for around four hours. Joining a bloco is a great way to meet new people and dance. The best blocos include Bloco Salvador, Asa de Águia, Ivete Sangalo, Jammil, Chiclete com Banana, and Timbalada.

The Salvador Carnival is also known for its camarotes, or after-parties, which are held in grandstands at the end of the parade route. These after-parties require a separate entry ticket and can be very expensive, featuring top international DJs.

The Salvador Carnival is a safe event, with relatively few incidents occurring during the celebrations. However, pickpocketing is common, so it is recommended to be aware of your valuables at all times and avoid wearing watches or jewellery.

Salvador de Bahia is a great destination for carnival-goers, offering a unique, wild, and spontaneous celebration with a strong Afro-Brazilian flavour.

Binche, Belgium

The Carnival of Binche, held annually in the city of Binche, Hainaut, Belgium, is one of the best-known carnivals in Wallonia, Belgium. The carnival's history dates back to the 14th century, and it is recognised as a 'Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity' by UNESCO.

The carnival is held on the Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday preceding Ash Wednesday, with preparations and events beginning up to seven weeks prior to the primary celebrations. The centrepiece of the carnival is the Gilles, clown-like performers who wear elaborate costumes in the national colours of red, black, and yellow, as well as eerie wax masks and large hats adorned with ostrich feathers. The Gilles, who are traditionally male and range in age from three to 60 years old, dance to the sound of drums and throw oranges to the crowd for good luck.

The carnival celebrations are deeply important to the people of Binche, who spend all year preparing for them. The festivities include street performances, public displays, and parades consisting of musical acts, dancing, and marching. On Shrove Sunday, the future Gilles, Peasants, Pierrots, and Harlequins walk around the city centre in costume, accompanied by drums or viola. Shrove Monday is dedicated to the Binche Youth, with three associations of youth walking from cafe to cafe and a huge confetti battle taking place in each bar in the city centre.

The most important and traditional day of the carnival is Shrove Tuesday, or Mardi Gras. Almost everyone in Binche gets up before 4 am, with children dressing as Pierrots, Harlequins, or little Gilles, and older boys wearing peasants' clothes. The Gilles, wearing their wax masks, dance in the streets to ward off evil spirits with sticks. Later in the day, they don large hats adorned with ostrich feathers and march through the town with baskets of oranges, throwing them to the crowd. The carnival ends with fireworks lighting up the words 'Plus Oultre', Charles Quint's motto.

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