Carnival facts for kids

Carnival in Rome, 1650

Carnival is a public festival which takes place in many cities and towns in many countries around the world. It is in February or March each year. Carnival can sometimes last for several weeks. In some places there is only one day of celebration. There are often street parades, bands, costumes and many people wear masks. Carnival is linked to religious traditions in the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, and it is also linked to local customs.

Background
Modern celebrations of Carnival
Different uses of the word "carnival"
Related pages
Images for kids
See also

Background

Men in the Carnival of the Dominican Republic carry whips as a sign of punishment for sin.

Lent

Many Christian churches have a 40-day "season" of fasting called Lent, in which Christians prepare for Easter which is one of the two most important feasts in the Christian year (the other being Christmas). Easter is in late March or April. Lent always begins on a Wednesday, which is called Ash Wednesday in February or March. On that day, many people go to church and have some ash smeared on their forehead as a sign of sorrow for their sins. Then for 40 days, they try to work hard on improving themselves and thinking about the teachings of Jesus. It is usual for people to "give up" something for Lent. They might stop smoking or stop watching TV so they can spend more time reading the Bible or talking with the family. Many people give up all their favourite foods and have no cake, wine, beer, chocolate, ice cream or other luxury foods.

The name "carnivale" comes from Italian and means "putting aside the flesh". This means that during Lent people were not to think about their "flesh" (their bodies) but do things that were good for their souls. The word "flesh"" also means "meat" so many people would eat no meat during Lent.

Mardi Gras

The Gilles parade through Binche in Belgium.

Mardi Gras means "Fat Tuesday". This was the day just before Lent. The first day of Lent was called Mecredi Meagre meaning "Mean Wednesday". ("Mean" used to mean "poor" and "thin" rather than "nasty".)

During the Middle Ages in Europe, it was normal for people to have a big feast on the Tuesday before the Lenten fast started. In many towns this developed into a big public party, with entertainment in the town square. There is a famous painting by Pieter Bruegel dating from the 1550s and showing the "Battle of Carnival and Lent". (See top of page)

About Pieter Bruegel's famous painting

Pieter Bruegel the Elder, The Battle of Carnival and Lent.

In this picture by Pieter Bruegel, a man representing Carnival is pushed on a barrel by people in costumes and masks. He is about to do battle with Lent. His weapon is a skewer covered with pieces of roast meat. He balances a blackbird pie on his head. Lent, who is very skinny, fights him with two little fish on a bread-board. The person at the front wears a mask and plays a very noisy instrument called a rummelpott.

Modern celebrations of Carnival

Two elegantly dressed figures at the Carnival of Venice

Nowadays many cities and towns around the world celebrate Carnival for a week or more. The final day of the celebration is Mardi Gras, when there is often a parade. In some cities the Mardi Gras parade is held on the weekend before Lent begins, rather than on the Tuesday, so as not to disturb the business and traffic of the town.

In some towns such as the Belgian town of Binche the preparations for the Carnival are complex and start many weeks before Carnival takes place, with most of the town's people taking part in some way. The Carnival of Binche is listed with UNESCO as an event of great historic importance because it has been held there in almost the same way for more than 500 years.

Carnival is celebrated differently around the world, but there are some things that are similar:

There is often dressing-up in fancy costumes, which often include masks.
There is usually a street parade of people and musicians. There may also be floats which are decorated vehicles.
There is often loud noises, bright colours and scary faces. These are to frighten evil spirits away while people are fasting. A traditional reason that the performers wear masks is so that the evil spirits do not know who they are.

In the Carnival of Rio de Janeiro, which is one of the biggest and most famous in the world, a major feature is the glamorous costumes as both men and women wear bright colours and wonderful headdresses to dance down the street to the sound of many bands. In Rio there are many very large and expensive decorated floats.

A high school band in the Carnival parade in New Orleans

The Barranquilla's Carnival, one of the biggest carnivals in the world, was declared the Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO.

In New Orleans the bands are one of the most important parts of the Carnival celebrations. In Düsseldorf in Germany, one of the features of the Carnival parades are the enormous models of politicians and other well-known people. In Sydney, the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardis Gras which started out as a parade for Sydney's homosexual community, now includes exhibitions, live theatre and competitions, and stretches over two weeks.

In Venice the Carnival was celebrated from December 26 until Lent began. During that time, people were allowed to disguise themselves by wearing masks in the street. In the 1930s this was forbidden by the Italian Government, but in 1980 a mask-makers shop was set up in Venice again. Soon the old tradition was brought back, and now many people dress in costume and wear masks for two weeks before Lent begins.

In Brussels in Belgium, the main Carnival procession is held in the Grande Place, the town square in front of the Gothic Town Hall with its huge tower. Every part of the procession is ruled by a tradition, but some of the traditions are so old that no-one remembers what they mean anymore. At the beginning of the procession is a large group of people dressed in beautiful costumes of silk and velvet, who act out an historic scene of the coming of the King of Spain and his royal court to Brussels 500 years ago. When they have taken their seats, there comes an amazing procession which includes stilt walkers, fire eaters, Goldilocks with a dancing bear, a mad camel, a wizard, lots of men in huge feathery headdresses, and the Archangel Michael whose job is to frighten the Devil. These characters are traditional to Brussels. In every city, the characters that take part are different.

Different uses of the word "carnival"

A carnival float from the Netherlands

Although the word "carnival" still has its old meaning, it is often used to mean public entertainments of different kinds. Some towns have carnivals that have nothing to do with Lent and are at different times of year. Nowadays there are all sorts of different carnivals. Some of these carnivals, like the Notting Hill Carnival in London and the Melbourne Cup Racing Carnival in Australia are very famous.

The word "carnival" is now used for festivals, parades and competitions of all sorts. There are school sports carnivals, folk carnivals, multi-cultural carnivals, horse-racing carnivals, wine and food carnivals and boating carnivals.

Images for kids

Rio's carnival is the largest in the world according to Guinness World Records.
The traditional carnival of Acireale, Sicily
Carnival on Ice at the Kipdorppoort Moats in Antwerp, c. 1620
Carnival in Venice, by Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo, 1750
A typical mask worn at the Venice Carnival, which portrays the satirical and exaggerated appearances often used.
Riderless Racers at Rome by Théodore Géricault. From the mid-15th century until 1882, spring carnival in Rome closed with a horse race. Fifteen to 20 riderless horses, originally imported from the Barbary Coast of North Africa, ran the length of the Via del Corso, a long, straight city street, in about 21⁄2 minutes.
Carnival in Argentina by school children
Recife Carnival, in the capital city of the State of Pernambuco, Recife
Carnival circuit of the city of Salvador
Carnival in Rincon (Bonaire) (2018)
The Blacks and Whites' Carnival in Pasto
Traditional cojuelo mask of the Dominican carnival in La Vega, Dominican Republic.
Carnival parade in Latacunga city.
Party in Latacunga city.
Four touloulous
Two Queens, representing Calle Arriba and Calle Abajo, standing on a float
A culeco
Morenada dance, in the Carnival of Juliaca – Peru
Masqueraders chipping on Carnival Tuesday in Port of Spain during Trinidad and Tobago Carnival
The Carnival King costume for a particular band
Revelers on Frenchmen Street, New Orleans, 2006
Afro-Uruguayans gathering for a Candombe celebration, ca. 1870
Panaji locals participating at the Goan Carnival, late 20th century
Foreign tourist revellers at the modern Goan Carnival, 2005
Long-Né and Longuès-Brèsses (Malmedy)
Giant Joker of Maaseik in 2013
Venetian Mask 2016
Carnival in Donetsk, Ukraine, 2010
Main square in Rijeka during Carnival
"Pirates" during Carnival in Čakovec
"Coprnice" (Witches) from Međimurje County, Northern Croatia
Masopust masks in Czech Republic, 2013
The 2016 Helsinki Samba Carnaval in Helsinki, Finland
Carnival in Paris, 2015.
Carnival in Mainz, Germany.
Reitenderle, der Grundholde, Hudelmale, Schnarragagges; popular Fasnet characters from Kisslegg im Allgäu, Swabia
From the Monstercorso on Güdisdienstag's evening in Lucerne (2009)
The float of the King Carnival parading in Patras, Greece
Ladies on their way to the historic Bourboulia ball in Patras, Greece wearing the dómino costumes unique to that ball.
The Busójárás in Hungary
This Venetian tradition is most famous for its distinctive masks.
The Battle of the Oranges at the carnival of Ivrea
Carnival procession in Valletta on Malta
Carnival in Valletta, Malta
Sesimbra Carnival, Portugal
A dancer in the Carnival of Madeira, on the island's capital Funchal
Ovar Carnival, Portugal
Boris Kustodiev's painting of Maslenitsa
Kurentovanje in Ptuj, 2019
The Burial of the Sardine, Francisco Goya, c. 1812
A choir singing in the Carnival of Cádiz
Vidalot is the last night of revelry before Ash Wednesday in Vilanova. Water color painting by Brad Erickson.
The Ball de Malcasats (Dance of the Mismatched Couples) is a satiric talking-dance traditional to Carnaval in Vilanova.
"Ploranyeres" weep for the death of His Majesty and the loss of pleasure.
Donkeys of Solsona, hung in the tower bell.