Carnival celebrations around the world

Carnival celebrations around the world

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: A performer from the Beija Flor samba school plays to the crowds at the Sambodrome in Rio de Janeiro on February 26. Around the world, people have been taking part in a wide range of carnival celebrations related to Shrove Tuesday and the arrival of spring.

Carnival celebrations around the world

New Orleans, Louisiana: New Orleans' carnival organization Krewe of Bacchus, named after the Roman god of wine, march along their traditional parade route on the Sunday evening before Mardi Gras.

Carnival celebrations around the world

El Callao, Venezuela: Venezuela's Carnival of El Callao celebrates Callaoense identity and its Afro-Antillean links. In 2016 it was added to UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Community.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Les Cayes, Haiti: Haiti's 2017 National Carnival took place in the southwestern city of Les Cayes. Next year the event will move to Port-au-Prince.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Granville, France: Another new addition to UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage list, the annual carnival in Granville in northwestern France runs over four days leading up to Shrove Tuesday, or Mardi Gras.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Founded in the Rio suburb of Ramos in 1956, the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school perform at Rio's Sambadrome on February 27.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Madrid, Spain: Madrid Carnival runs over five days and features a parade, a grand ball and fancy dress competition. The festivities close with a mock funeral procession for a sardine, to symbolize that the revels are over and Lent has arrived.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Dusseldorf, Germany: Political satire plays a big role in Dusseldorf's annual Rose Monday parade. US President Donald Trump, the rise of the populist far right across Europe, and Germany's upcoming national elections all featured heavily in 2017's floats.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Ivrea, Italy: Italy's largest food fight gets underway in the northern town of Ivrea. The origins of the "battle of the oranges" are unclear, but one popular interpretation has it that it commemorates the people's rebellion against tyrannical rulers in the Middle Ages.

Carnival celebrations around the world

El Callao, Venezuela: El Callao's carnival celebrations are led by the "madamas," women representing Antillean matrons wearing colorful headscarves and dresses.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Morro Vermelho, Brazil: Members of the Pena de Pavao de Krishna street carnival band, a traditional group that celebrates Indian deities, party in Morro Vermelho, Minas Gerais state.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Sesimbra, Portugal: Aside from the samba parades, carnival celebrations in the Portuguese town of Sesimbra features one of the world's largest clown parades.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Strumica, Macedonia: Strumica Carnival marks the start of the Eastern Orthodox Lenten period and is one of the biggest celebrations of its kind in Macedonia.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Granville, France: An estimated 2,500 "carnivalists" spend around six months creating the floats for Granville's annual festivities.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Vilnius, Lithuania: Lithuanians celebrate Uzgavenes, or "the time before Lent," in the seventh week before Easter as a way of saying goodbye to winter and greeting the spring.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Cadiz, Spain: A bewigged couple steal a quiet moment during the Carnival celebrations in the Andalucian city of Cadiz.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Encarnacion, Paraguay: Encarnacion bills itself the "Carnival capital of Paraguay" and, with celebrations like this, it's not hard to see why.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Lesaka, Spain: In the Pyrenean village of Lesaka, villagers dressed as the traditional carnival characters "zaku zaharrak," meaning "old sack" in Basque.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Carnival celebrations around the world

Recife, Brazil: The streets of Recife fill with crowds for the Galo da Madrugada (dawn rooster) parade, which attracts millions of spectators each year.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Athens, Greece: Parade-goers march through Athens' Monastiraki district in Athens to celebrate an ancient Greek festival honoring Dionysus, the god of wine, festivity and theater.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Sesimbra, Portugal: A child dressed as a clown watches the celebrations in Sesimbra. In 2004, the town made it into the Guinness Book of Records for staging the world's largest clown parade.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Binche, Belgium: Clown-like performers known as Gilles take part in a carnival parade in the Belgian town of Binche on February 28. They set out as early as 4 a.m. on Shrove Tuesday.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Maastricht, Netherlands: After the party comes the tidying up: street sweepers at work in Maastricht on February 26.

Carnival celebrations around the world

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Members of the Mocidade Independente de Padre Miguel samba school wait for showtime on the second night of celebrations at the Sambadrome.