Interesting carnivals of the world. The most interesting carnivals in the world. Up Helly Aa Fire – Lerwick, Scotland

Once a year, in some countries of the world special days come - bright, magical, and slightly crazy carnivals. Some of them, such as the Brazilian carnival or the Spanish bull running, are well known to everyone; others you may have never heard of. And if you like to rock things, then we present to your attention 20 of the most inimitable and large-scale festivals from around the world.

1. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

2. Oktoberfest - Munich, Germany

3. Snow and Ice Festival - Harbin, China

4. Holi is a festival celebrated by Hindus around the world.

5. Cascamorros - Base, Spain

6. Venice, Italy

7. Up Helly Aa Fire – Lerwick, Scotland

8. Tomorrowland – Boom, Belgium

9. Mardi Gras - New Orleans

10. La Tomatina – Buñol, Spain

11. International Balloon Festival - Albuquerque, New Mexico

12. Cooper's Hill Cheese Race - Gloucester, England

13. Coachella - Indio, California

14. Day of the Dead - Mexico

15. Encierro (Running of the Bulls) – Pamplana, Spain

16. Songkran Water Purity Festival - Chiang Mai, Taiwan

17. Burning Man - Black Rock, Nevada

18. Oil wrestling tournament in Kirpinar – Edirne, Türkiye

19. Sky Lantern Festival – Pingxi, Taiwan

20. Glastonbury – Glastonbury, England

Once a year, in some countries of the world special days come - bright, magical, and slightly crazy carnivals. Some of them, such as the Brazilian carnival or the Spanish bull running, are well known to everyone; others you may have never heard of. And if you like to rock things, then we present to your attention 20 of the most inimitable and large-scale festivals from around the world.

1. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Like Mardi Gras in New Orleans and Carnival in Venice, Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is a non-stop party, but Brazilian style, featuring an endless parade of samba and colorful costumes.

2. Oktoberfest – Munich, Germany

Second half of September – first weekend of October

Despite the fact that there are various, smaller-scale analogues of this feztivals around the world, Munich's traditional event is the largest beer festival in the world. In 2013, more than $96,178,668 worth of beer was sold.

3. Snow and Ice Festival - Harbin, China

The Harbin International Festival is the largest snow and ice event in the world, featuring 10-foot-tall snow sculptures and life-size buildings made from giant ice blocks.

4. Holi is a festival celebrated by Hindus around the world.

Holi, also known as the Festival of Colors, marks the end of winter and the beginning of spring. The holiday is filled with unbridled fun and freedom. Just remember to bring your own paint.

5. Cascamorros – Base, Spain

Every year, hundreds of Spaniards anoint themselves with special oil to re-enact the theft of the statue of the Blessed Virgin, which occurred 500 years ago. After everyone is covered in oil, a performance of extraordinary scale begins.

6. Venice, Italy

Carnevale, or Carnival, is a traditional event held in Venice dating back to the 13th century. People from all over flocked to Italy to take part in the costume show - probably one of the biggest on the planet.

7. Up Helly Aa Fire –Lerwick, Scotland

Last Tuesday of January

This is the largest Viking fire festival in Europe, culminating in the burning of a real Viking ship. Why words? It’s better to see once than to hear a hundred times.

8. Tomorrowland – Boom, Belgium

We present to your attention the world's largest electronic music festival. Every year 100,000 thousand tourists flock to Belgium to dance the day and night away.

9. Mardi Gras - New Orleans

In some ways, this festival's reputation speaks for itself - if you want to rock like it's the last time you've ever lived on Earth, then you're welcome to New Orleans.

10. La Tomatina – Buñol, Spain

Last Wednesday of August

This crazy festival, as it may seem at first glance, is held every year purely for pleasure, which means this celebration is not associated with any ancient traditions. In 1945, several local residents began simply throwing fruits and vegetables - from that moment on, the tradition of the “tomato” battle came into force.

11. International Hot Air Balloon Festival - Albuquerque, New Mexico

This is the largest balloon festival in Albuquerque.

12. Cooper's Hill Cheese Race - Gloucester, England

If you want to see hundreds of men chasing a wheel of cheese rolling down a mountainside, then you're in luck - you can not only admire the spectacle, but also take part in the Coopers Hill Cheese Race.

13. Coachella - Indio, California

Every year, this festival is attended by a huge number of stars, including the biggest celebrities in Hollywood. In addition, you can set up an entire tent camp in the desert.

14. Day of the Dead - Mexico

This festival takes place on All Saints' Day and is dedicated to the memory of the dead. A colorful parade of costumes and local culture awaits those who attend. Similar Mexican festivals are held all over the world, but some of the largest festivals are held in Mexico and Los Angeles.

15. Encierro (Running of the Bulls) – Pamplana, Spain

Let's be honest: who among us doesn't love watching people play dumb? The Running of the Bulls is a time-tested tradition that guarantees an adrenaline rush, whether you're a spectator or a participant.

16. Songkran Water Purity Festival - Chiang Mai, Taiwan

This is the water fight you've always dreamed of. So get your water guns, balloons and water bottles ready, and head to Taiwan for a wet and wild adventure yourself.

17. Burning Man - Black Rock, Nevada

This is an event where people are freed from all the conventions imposed by society. If you are tired of the routine of everyday life and can party for 8 days on end, then you are heading straight to the Nevada deserts.

18. Oil wrestling tournament in Kirpinar – Edirne, Türkiye
February 23

Watch the sky light up with thousands of lights during the world's largest sky lantern festival. If you've been looking for a little magic, there's nothing more fantastic than a sky sparkling with thousands of floating lanterns.

20. Glastonbury – Glastonbury, England

In addition to great music, the festival challenges you to brave the mud puddles while you and your friends pitch your tents. Glastonbury is a dirty, deafening and unbridled festival, just like any rock concert should be.

May 28, 2012 Brazil is rightfully considered a country of carnivals; many of its cities hold their own carnivals, but one of the most famous and most spectacular in the world is, of course, the carnival in .

This grandiose event takes place in the month of February, and we will learn how exactly from this article.

Brazilian Carnival (Carnaval do Brasil) is an annual festival held in many cities 40 days before Easter, marking the beginning of Lent. During Lent, Roman Catholics abstain from all bodily pleasures. That is why the Brazilian carnival, as an act of farewell to pleasures, takes place on the eve of Lent.

There are several versions of the origin of the Brazilian carnival. According to one of them, it is based on the “Funny Day” introduced in the 17th century by the Portuguese - a holiday accompanied by songs and dances, when it was customary to fool each other in all sorts of ways, douse yourself with water, throw yourself around raw eggs and beans. Soon, black slaves brought to Brazil from Africa joined this fun, bringing there colorful customs from their homeland. By the 20th century, the Brazilian carnival absorbed elements of the carnivals of Italy and France. It was then that masks, fantastic costumes and characters came to the Brazilian holiday. Regional variations of the carnival also appeared.

In 1928, the first samba dance school arose in Rio, and since then the tradition of carnival parades of samba schools has spread to other cities. The largest parades of samba schools are just the carnival in Rio, as well as the carnival in Sao Paulo. In these cities there are special sambadromes, where samba schools actually perform, and entry for spectators is paid (but all street processions, of course, are free).

However, the tradition of street carnivals, in which anyone can participate, has not disappeared today. It is preserved mainly in the northeast of Brazil, in the cities of Salvador, Recife and Olinda. Hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets to walk together along the city roads, dance, sing, party and have fun. In these cities, parades are held not only to the rhythms of samba, for example in Recife and Olinda - to the rhythms of maracatu, afosha and frevo.

The Brazilian Carnival is the country's largest folk festival and the most famous holiday in Brazil. During its celebration, life in the country comes to a complete standstill, the holiday is celebrated day and night, 50% of annual beer consumption occurs during this period and 70% of tourists come to Brazil during this time.

takes place once a year in February (the height of the Brazilian summer). The holiday begins on the Saturday preceding Lent and continues for 4 days and 4 nights until Ash Wednesday (Quarta-feira de cinzas).

This festival is organized with the participation of the Ministry of Tourism and the League of Samba Schools, and its conduct is broadcast on almost all television channels.

The carnival begins with the symbolic handover of the keys to Rio de Janeiro by the city mayor to the “king of the carnival,” who becomes the rightful owner of the city for the duration of the holiday.

The main feature of the carnival in Rio de Janeiro is that it is not an impromptu procession with dances and songs, but a well-rehearsed theatrical procession-competition of samba schools, in which up to 4,000 people from each school participate at the same time.

Each samba school prepares very carefully for this holiday for a whole year, everything is thought out to the smallest detail, the theme of the performance is chosen, music and choreography are prepared, unique costumes are created and moving stages are designed.

Forty jury members will evaluate each point: the cohesion of the team, the rhythm of the drums and their consistency with the dancing and singing, and, of course, the overall impression.

One of the most important people during the school procession is the female standard bearer who leads the car, and the score also largely depends on her performance.

Every day, more than two million people take part in the carnival on the streets of the city, but the main carnival procession takes place on the Sambodrome - a special 700-meter street designed for the carnival, with stands and boxes designed for 90,000 spectators. The parade of samba schools at the Sambodrome begins in the evening at 21 and can last for 10 hours.

The winning school of last year's carnival is the first to go through the Sambodrome, and then the rest of the schools come out on the list. First, the school's name is announced, followed by its staff and celebrities in carnival costumes, followed by thousands of dancers and musicians, as well as brightly decorated platforms on wheels, near which elite "passistas" dancers dance.

The samba school shows will end with a Parade of Champions, who will be determined by a competent jury. Based on the results of the carnival, a winning school is selected and awarded a cash prize.

Below is information about the dates for the Rio de Janeiro Carnival in the coming years:

In 2014 – March 1-4

In 2015 – February 14-17

In 2016 – February 6-9

In 2017 – February 25-28

In 2018 – February 10-13

In 2019 – March 2-5

In 2020 – February 22-25

Incredible facts

Strange as it may seem, but February is the most festive month of the year. The thing is that this month the most unforgettable carnivals take place all over the world, during which you can see colorful parades, an abundance of food and all kinds of entertainment.

There are many theories regarding the origin of the carnival.

Some believe that the word "carnival" comes from the Latin expression " carne vale", which means "farewell to meat", signifying the last days when it was possible to eat meat before the onset of Lent.

Others believe that the celebrations ward off evil spirits and are a way to say goodbye to winter and welcome spring.

Hundreds of carnivals are held all over the world, among which are the most memorable and colorful:

1. Carnival in Rio, Brazil

The Rio Carnival is a kind of standard against which all other carnivals are compared. It is also one of the most celebrated art events in the world.

Just over half a million tourists come every year to the “capital of all carnivals in the world” to watch the greatest revelry of all time.

The carnival begins with the crowning of King Momo, who is given huge silver and gold keys to the city. Then celebrations begin throughout the country: in all the streets, squares, bars and clubs, ending with the Samba Parade, when the best samba schools march through Rio de Janeiro in order to win the title of the best in Brazil.

2. Venice Carnival, Italy

The Venice Carnival is probably the second most popular carnival in the world. It begins two weeks before Ash Wednesday and ends on Fat Tuesday, called Mardi Gras in Catholic tradition.

During the carnival, concerts, balls, dances, parades and other events take place. Participants typically wear elaborate costumes and masks.

The very tradition of wearing a Venetian mask was born because all residents of the city wanted to be equal, regardless of whether they were rich or poor. Today, more than 30,000 tourists a day come to Venice to celebrate Carnival.

3. Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago

Calypso dancers, steel drums and bottles of rum are constant attributes of the largest Caribbean carnival. Carnival in Trinidad and Tobago is a mixture of European, African, Indian, Amerindian, Chinese and Middle Eastern influences.

Borrowing the best traditions of many cultures, this carnival is rightly called "the greatest show on Earth."

4. Carnival in Barranquilla, Colombia

The Barranquilla Carnival is so amazing that even UNESCO called it a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.”

Thousands of tourists flock to Barranquilla, a port city in northern Colombia, to celebrate the holiday, which begins four days before Ash Wednesday and peaks on Batalla de las Flores(flower fight).

The Barranquilla Carnival is the most important folk festival in Colombia and one of the largest in the world.

5. Carnival in Nice, France

The Nice Carnival is one of the most significant carnival events, along with the Brazilian and Venetian carnivals.

During Carnival, the city of Nice turns into a massive party, complete with parades, fireworks and bonfires, flower parades and lavish street performances. On the first day, the King of the Carnival arrives at Place Masséna to the deafening screams of the crowd.

The carnival procession consists of more than 20 chariots and 500 “big heads” made of papier-mâché. On the last day there is a night parade, when the streets of Nice are lit up with many colorful lights.

6. Carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain

Today, the carnival in Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the second most popular, world famous carnival, after the Rio carnival.

The festivities on the streets of Santa Cruz de Tenerife begin on Friday with a magnificent opening parade, which reaches its peak at night when thousands of people in carnival costumes dance until the early hours.

The carnival consists of two parts: the official carnival and the street carnival. The carnival is famous for its costumed dancers, dazzling queens and murga musical theatres.

7. Mardi Gras Carnival in New Orleans, USA

Mardi Gras is a popular American holiday that dates back to the mid-1800s. Costume balls, noisy parties and festive parades make this carnival one of the most colorful and frenetic events in America.

Fat Tuesday is the last day Catholics can indulge their desires before Ash Wednesday, after which the weeks of abstinence that come with Lent begin. During the carnival, more than 400 chariots with 15,000 participants pass through, watched by millions of spectators.

8. Carnival in Goa, India

Carnival is rather an exclusive and unique event in India which was introduced by the Portuguese who ruled Goa for over 500 years.

The carnival is also held in February, for three days and nights when the legendary King Momo takes over the state and the streets are filled with music and all the colors of the rainbow.

Carnival in Goa is accompanied by dances, processions, balls and the famous “red-black dance”, which is held on the last day by the National Club of the capital of Goa - Panaji.

9. Cologne Carnival, Germany

The opening of the carnival in Cologne begins long before the main event, on November 11 at 11:11 pm, and after the New Year the carnival gains momentum again.

The street carnival lasts from Fat Tuesday to Ash Wednesday, and the celebrations themselves take place in the streets, squares and pubs. But the most key moment of the street carnival is “Pink Monday”, when a festive procession takes place, during which the hosts of the holiday: the Prince, the Peasant and the Maiden walk through the city and distribute sweets.

10. Basel Carnival, Switzerland

The Basel Carnival is the largest in Switzerland and takes place between February and March every year. During the carnival, the old town is completely transformed, filled with hundreds of burning lanterns decorated with illustrations.

Drummers and musicians playing piccolo flutes walk through the streets. According to local historians, the tradition of throwing confetti began in Basel and later spread throughout the world.