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Carnival in Spain, like everywhere else in the world, marks the start of Lent, a Christian religious observance. Carnival is held on Sundays and is similar to the Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) celebrations in the United States. These events honor life, fun, and excess before the beginning of the somber Lenten season. Spain is also well-known for its food, wine, and flamenco. Mardi Gras, or Carnival, is a festive season that occurs before Lent. Lent is a religious period of fasting and repentance that begins on Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is a time of celebration and indulgence before the austerity of Lent. In Spain, Mardi Gras is known as Carnaval. The origins of the celebration of Mardi Gras in North America can be traced back to France, where it was first observed in the Middle Ages. Fort Louis de la Louisiane, located today in Mobile, was founded in 1702 by French-Canadian explorer Jean Baptiste Le Moyne Sieur de Bienville 15 years before it first appeared in Louisiana. Every year, from the weekend before Shrove Tuesday right up to Ash Wednesday, Madrid celebrates Carnival with a full programme of free, themed activities for all ages. In recent years, the hub for these festivities has been Matadero Madrid and Madrid Río Park. Take note: the 2025 celebrations will take place from 1-5 March! In rural Cajun areas, Mardi Gras is celebrated the way other places celebrate Halloween, with costumed disguises and going from house to house begging for treats. In Spain, Shrove Tuesday is Mardi Gras is traditionally celebrated on “Fat Tuesday,” the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. In many areas, however, Mardi Gras has evolved into a week-long festival. Mardi Like New Orleans’ or Sydney’s Mardi Gras, some Carnivals in Spain have become closely associated with the LGBTQ+ community, and this is particularly true with the Carnival in Sitges, which features lots of gay-friendly parties and drag queens. The Carnival takes place over seven days and there's variety of lively events. Cádiz This is the whole idea of the Barcelona Carnival, Mardi Gras or Carnestoltes - whatever you may choose to call it. It is one last blowout party before the period of suffering and will-power (or lack of it) begins. In the UK this is celebrated by clearing out the pantry of all things tasty and making pancakes. Les Gilles de Binche celebrating Mardi Gras in Binche, Belgium. Mark Renders/Stringer/Getty Images 4. Binche, Belgium. Celebrated south of Brussels in Belgium’s Hainaut province from March 2-4, the Carnival of Binche centers on the area’s unique folklore. You may have seen its concluding March of the Gilles, which takes place on Mardi Gras. On the Tuesday before the beginning of the Christian religious observance of Lent, people in the southern U.S. city of New Orleans celebrate Mardi Gras with parties, music and parades. Another Carnival is the Fastnacht, celebrated by the Swabian and Alemannic people in the Baden-Württemberg region. India. India's Goa Carnival is one of Asia's few Mardi Gras celebrations, dating back to 1510 from Goa's former occupation by Portugal. The Goa Carnival has some elements similar to the Hindu festival of Holi. Each year in the run up to Lent, Sitges comes alive with its most famous yearly celebrations - Carnival. The event is celebrated throughout Spain and indeed, the world. It marks the last chance to let your hair down and get up to mischief before the forty days of Lent begin. Venezuela. Mardi Gras is celebrated in different parts of Venezuela, the largest celebration being held in El Callao.The festivities focus on highlighting the ethnic diversity of Venezuela and feature parades with Calypso music and emblematic characters known as los diablos (the devils) del Callao. In Spain Carnival celebration start early: on the last Thursday before Lent. We call it “Dijous Gras” in Catalan or Jueves Lardero in Spanish, so you might want to translate it as Fatty Thursday, or Lardy Thursday, because that day you are still allowed to eat fatty foods such as pork sausages, eggs and lard, of course! 3. Cadiz Carnival, Spain. Travel to the charming coastal city of Cadiz, Spain, and immerse yourself in the Cadiz Carnival, one of the oldest and most traditional Carnivals in Europe. This lively celebration is deeply rooted in Spanish folklore, featuring "chirigotas" - satirical singing groups that entertain crowds with humorous and witty The Carnaval in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil) and Santa Cruz, Tenerife (Spain) hold some of the world’s most famous celebrations. Although the tradition has often changed over the years, we can still enjoy a colourful festival with masks, costumes, music, and allegorical floats (the cars or trucks with a platform used during the parade). The first year that Mardi Gras was celebrated on a grand scale in Galveston was 1871 with the emergence of two rival Mardi Gras societies, or "Krewes" called the Knights of Momus (known only by the initials "K.O.M.") and the Knights of Myth, both of which devised night parades, masked balls, exquisite costumes and elaborate invitations. In the early 18th century, New Orleanians celebrated Mardi Gras with masked balls and parades, but the Spanish occupation of the city led to a multi-decade lull in the festivities. The King Cake is an iconic symbol of Mardi Gras, a tradition deeply rooted in culture, religion, and celebration. With its brightly colored sugar toppings in purple, green, and gold, and the The celebration of Mardi Gras has evolved over the centuries, but at its core, it remains a celebration of life, community, and indulgence. Originally rooted in religious traditions, Mardi Gras serves as a final opportunity to enjoy rich foods, drink, and revelry before the fasting and solemnity of Lent.
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