CARNiVAL AROUND THE WORLD

Carnival is a festivity celebrated in the last week of February or the first week of March.During Carnival everything is allowed and anything can happen. People participate in street parades, masquerades… and wear multi-coloured costumes. All around the world people celebrate Carnival with large, popular events that last several days.

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

Every year the “escolas de samba” dance to the beat of the drums. Escolas de samba are large groups of people which compete in different categories including costumes, dance and percussion to become the Carnival Champions.

CARNIVAL OF VENICE, ITALY

The Venice Carnival dates back to the 15th Century. People wear elegant costumes and artistically decorated masks. There are acrobats, musicians, magicians , vendors and artisans everywhere. There are also concerts annd shows in Piazza San Marco,gondola parades and water processions along the Grand Canal and a spectacular firework at the end of the carnival celebration.

MARDI GRAS, NEW ORLEANS (USA)

The two-week festival includes street parties with food , drink and music and extravagants parades. The traditional Mardi Gras colours are purple , green and gold. Purple represents justice; green, freedom and gold, power. People throw metal coins called doubloons made in Mardi Gras colours.

CARNIVAL IN THE CARIBBEAN (Trinidad and Tobago)

Trinidad’s Carnival is often described as the greatest show on earth. Trinidad’s Carnival has many influences: The Spanish and English colonists, French planters, African slaves, Indian labourers and many other ethnic groups.

The most popular music styles associated with Carnival are “calypso and soca”.

The national instrument of Trinidad and Tobago

played by musicians during the Carnival season is called “steelpan”.

CARNIVAL IN CADIZ, SPAIN

This festival is famous for its creative characters and satirical songs groups called “chirigotas” which ridicule and mock politicians , celebrities, current events,… with its satirical lyrics. Carnival ends with a ceremony known as “El entierro de la sardina” which similates a funeral prrocession of a sardine and its symbolical burning.

CARNIVAL IN OURENSE , GALICIA.

Verín is a little town in Orense province, at nordwest of Spain. In this location, the people celebrate possibly one more antique carnival of Europe.

Carnival here is one of the most original in Spain with masked figures called the “Cigarróns” running through the streets brandishing whips and making an interesting sound caused by cowbells tied to their waists.

Laza (Orense) offers os “peliqueiros” –characters dressed in a kind of fringed petticoat with babules, a jacket, cowbells and a gaudy mask, all crowned by a kind of semicircular mitre, and the Morena, a man covered with a cow-hide who rushes at all those around him. “Pantallas”, masks typical of Xinzo de Limia (Orense), are also prominent.

CARNIVAL IN FORCAREI, SPAIN

And the most spectacular, amazing, exciting and wonderfull carnival in the world is celebrated in Forcarei. Students an teachers participate in a great parade with multi-coloured costumes. Music, dance,food and drink and a show complete this fantastic day. Here you have a video about our carnival.