Best Carnival Celebrations around the World
1. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
The city’s mayor hands a giant silver and gold key to crown the Fat King, thus marking the beginning of the carnival in Rio. The Samba parade is the major attraction in which almost 5000 dancers dance to loud music and parade on the long road especially built for the carnival.
2. Venice, Italy
In this carnival, the city of Venetia is filled with groups of people dressed up in elaborate costumes and masks. They wear masks because of the tradition to treat everyone, rich or poor, as equal.
3. Nice, Southern France
The tradition here is to make almost 500 big, paper mache heads, paraded on the first day of the carnival. The carnival holds a ‘battle of flowers’ where many multi-coloured flowers are thrown on the public.
4. Santa Cruz, Spain
The Tenerife Carnival in Spain is also known as the ‘Festival of International Tourist Interest’ and is attended by thousands of people from all over the world. They come to the streets, dressed in various fancy dresses and dance until dawn.
5. Basel, Switzerland
People, not only from Switzerland, but also from Germany and Austria, come to Basel in disguise for the carnival here. Groups of people wear holy masks, play flutes and walk around the streets of Basel.
6. Goa, India
This four day carnival was started by the Portuguese who settled in India and the tradition continues till today. The carnival starts by selecting a ‘King of Chaos’ and the red-and-black dances are the most important part of the carnival.
7. Quebec, Canada
Quebec is famous for holding the Winter Carnival at -30 degree Celsius and it goes on for 17 days. A snow castle and a snow amusement park is the center of attraction. A snow queen is selected who roams around in a snow float. The streets are lined with ice sculptures and a canoe race is held on the frozen ice river!
8. Binche, Belgium
The Gilles, or clown like performers, dress up in vibrant wax masks and wooden footwear and are all male. Only the original inhabitants of Binche can take part. They dance to the sound of drums to ward off evil spirits and march in the town with baskets of oranges.
9. New Orleans, USA
The New Orleans Carnival celebrates Mardi Gras with a masked ball and purple, green and gold colours . The rich ride on floats and throw money, beads, toys and jewels to the poor people.
10. Barranquilla, Colombia
The carnival holds dances like the Spanish Polatio and African Congo. It is a beautiful fusion of European, African and Indian cultures lasting for 4 days.
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