Carnival time is here! That’s the time of year between Epiphany and Ash Wednesday, and culminates with the celebration of Mardi Gras. This year, Mardi Gras takes place on February 12, and Carnival has been going on since January 6. There are various places that you can go in order to join in the revelry. Here are a few:
- Western Germany In the Rhine region of Germany, Karnival is celebrated the for nearly a week before Mardi Gras. Particularly in the area around Cologne, there are parades, costume balls and other fun activities. One quirky part of the celebration is that women are allowed (and encouraged!) to cut men’s ties and kiss any man that they pass. Similar carnivals and festivals take place in other parts of Western Germany, along with Austria and Switzerland.
- Brazil In parts of Brazil, Carnival is referred to as “The Greatest Show on Earth.” Salvador and Rio de Janeiro offer huge celebrations, complete with bands, costumes and more. The Carnival in Rio draws millions of tourists each year, so if you are hoping to join them, make your reservations now!
- The Caribbean Most of the islands in the Caribbean have some type of celebration during the Carnival season. If you find yourself in Aruba, Barbados, Jamaica, Dominica, Haiti or any of the other tropical islands of the Caribbean, you will likely see dancing, floats, live bands, parades a variety of costumes and other local customs of celebration.
- New Orleans If you’re planning to stay close to home and you live in the southeastern United States, a trip to New Orleans will get you in a celebratory mood. The main event is, of course, Mardi Gras, and the place to be is in the French Quarter, on famous Bourbon Street and the surrounding areas. This is the part of the city that is home to most of the drunken revelry, so if you’re looking to live it up in traditional Mardi Gras style, head there. On the other hand, the French Quarter isn’t the venue for family-friendly fun; if that’s what you’re hoping to see, then stick to the historic district, such as St. Charles Avenue.
If you are planning to revel in Carnival or Mardi Gras celebrations, you can find them all over the world, no matter where you find yourself. Do you know of any other excellent Carnival celebrations?
