It's almost time for Carnival, but unfortunately it cannot be celebrated this year due to the Corona pandemic. That's why we want to inspire you here with six carnivals from all over the world – because carnival is celebrated almost all over the world.
Carnival with a tropical flair – Trinidad and Tobago, the Caribbean
Also on the other side of the world, people eagerly dress up and celebrate Carnival extensively:in Trinidad and Tobago, however, Carnival has an extraordinary Caribbean flair. With tropical temperatures of around 30 degrees, the carnival season in the Caribbean islands is reminiscent of the festive Rio de Janeiro. Sexy ladies in glittering costumes, decorated with colorful feathers and original masks dance to the beat of the music – in a dreamy setting that will warm the heart of any travel addict. It is not for nothing that the inhabitants of Trinidad and Tobago call the spectacle “The Greatest Show on Earth”. This tradition originated in the 18th century when the French brought the Catholic custom from Europe. Since then, the population throws themselves every year in extraordinary costumes for the carnival festival. In addition to traditional disguises for women, people in the Caribbean also paint themselves with chocolate, mud, oil or paint – anything to cover up obvious differences such as skin color, age or gender. After all, carnival is all about dancing, dressing up and above all having fun, wherever you come from.
Winter Carnival – Quebec, Canada
Unlike the Caribbean, Carnival in the Canadian city of Québec takes place in the freezing cold. For seventeen days, the streets of the world's largest "winter carnival" become the stage for spectacular parades, talented bands and brilliant competitions. The mascot “Bonhomme Carnival” annually brings the more than a million participants in the mood when it comes to rafting, canoeing or soap box races. Of course, a snowman building competition is also a tradition at the winter carnival festival. The fact that Canadians are particularly resistant to the cold is also apparent from the costumes of the Québecans – most of them throw themselves into the snow with little or no clothing and party and drink extensively.
Dance with the Giant Dolls – Solsona, Spain
Back in Europe, the Spanish town of Solsona is probably a lesser-known carnival destination. Nevertheless, tourists can really beat the drums with the residents:Spanish flair can be seen for a week during the more than 40 festivities between the city's market stalls. There are no costumes here, as is usual in other countries:the visitors of the carnival in Solsona dress in colorful smocks and dance with giant dolls to the loud sounds of the Spanish carnival song. The smallest contestants present their most unusual disguises in a more classic costume contest. Another highlight is the generous shared banquet meal, where every guest gets their money's worth. The Carnival in Solsona is known for its originality in Spain and was therefore declared a national property even in 1978.
On to the flour fight – Galaxidi, Greece
In Galaxidi, a mask that matches the costume is probably the best choice:the carnival festival in the Greek city ends with the so-called “Alevromoutzouroma”, a fun flour war in which the locals throw colored flour at each other until each participant looks unrecognizable and is colorful from the top down. The motto on the last day of the festivities is actually:courage to be ugly! The strangest-dressed Greeks, in most cases, receive most of the colored powder and then throw it at the enemy “warriors”. Unfortunately, visitors cannot participate in the game, but they are of course allowed to watch the spectacle – but vigilance pays off, because the participants are not afraid to sprinkle one or the other tourist with flour.
Mardi Gras! – New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.
On the other side of the world, “Mardi Gras” is one of the biggest carnivals in the world:the city of New Orleans in Louisiana, USA, is known for its carnival. “Mardi Gras” means something like “Fat Tuesday” and is topped off with a gigantic parade on Shrove Tuesday. Traditional jazz music roars from the richly decorated floats on the streets and over the heads of approximately 500,000 spectators and carnival fans from all over the world. The event with live performances by numerous bands and artists is known all over the world and makes New Orleans shine for two weeks in the “Mardi Gras” colors:green stands for faith and hope, gold for strength and purple for justice - an unforgettable experience. experience.
Sea of Flowers on the Cote d'Azur – Nice, France
The Côte d'Azur is not only an ideal place to go on holiday, but also to party:the Carnival in Nice is an absolute Mardi Gras hotspot in Europe. It is one of the largest carnival festivities in the world and is best known for its flower parades. These consist of about 16 brightly decorated floats from which mimosas, carnations and roses are thrown. After a veritable sea of flowers during the day, the parade spectators can expect another highlight in the late evenings:the parade changes from a florist's dream to a sea of light – illuminated floats shine through the streets of Nice and bring a carnival atmosphere in the night.
