Events, Festivals and Exhibitions

Carnivals

Discover amazing world festivals, events and exhibitions
 

Quebec Winter Carnival 2025 Canada

Quebec City Quebec City, Canada

Ever since 1955, the people of Quebec City have celebrated winter with the Quebec Winter Carnival. In 2006, over a million people attended the festival, making it the biggest winter

$25 – $36

Viareggio Carnival 2025 (Carnevale di Viareggio) Italy

Viali a Mare promenade Percorso Sfilata, Viareggio, Tuscany, Italy

Along with the Venice Carnival, the Viareggio Carnival or Carnevale di Viareggio is one of the largest carnivals in Italy. Held in the Tuscan...

€16.50

Carnaval de Nice (Nice Carnival) 2025

Nice

Set on the glamorous Cote d’Azure, the Nice Carnival (Carnaval de Nice) is one of the largest and most famous carnivals in the world. Many of the world’s top film

Venice Carnival (Carnevale di Venezia) 2025, Italy

Venice Venice, Italy

Juxtapose one of the most beautiful cities in the world alongside one of the most colourful and exciting carnivals globally and it has to be a winning formula. Masked costumed

Coumba-Frèide Carnival 2025, Italy

Aosta Valley , Italy

Nestled in the heart of Italy's Aosta Valley, the Coumba-Frèide region comes alive each winter with a Carnival that is as rich in history as it is in vibrant festivities.

Carnaval Sitges (Sitges Carnival) 2025, Spain

Sitges Sitges, Catalunya, Spain

The Sitges Carnival (Carnaval Sitges) sees the Spanish coastal town brought to life with carnival fever as parties and parades take over the streets in the run-up to Lent. While

Bahia Carnival (Carnaval Baiano), Brazil

Salvador Salvador, Brazil

Yes, we have all heard of Carnival in Rio, but what about a Carnival in the part of Brazil where the influence of African culture is at its strongest? The Bahia Carnival held...

Free

Interested in Carnivals?

Just the sound of the word carnival makes you want to dance. Traditionally – but not always – carnivals mark the period before Lent in the Christian calendar, as the last day you could party. In addition to dancing, partying and consuming lots of food participants dress up in costumes or don masks and join massive parades.

Rio Carnival

The biggest and most famous carnival in the world is the Rio Carnival. One enormous party, it has become a victim of its own success, with a lack of accommodation in the Brazilian city as well as inflated prices and potential crime.

Carnivals around the World

But despair not, Rio is not the only city to carnival. Indeed, elsewhere in Latin America many a place has its own carnival, at roughly the same time as Rio, often with less crowds but with just the same amount of fun. You might prefer trying the Barranquilla Carnival, Limon Carnival in Costa Rica, the Panama Carnival or the Trinidad Carnival.

Carnivals in Europe

However, nowhere is the carnival more celebrated than in Europe. The Sitges Carnival is LGBT friendly, while the Venice Carnival is the place to go if you like making a masquerade of yourself. Elsewhere there are carnivals from Cologne to Nice and even in Santa Cruz in the Canary Islands. For a peculiarly Belgian take on the celebration, why not head to the Carnaval Binche and enjoy some of he excellent beer at the same time.
Carnivals in London
Not all carnivals are held in the build up to Lent. In London, the Notting Hill Carnival takes place in the last weekend in August, which is also a bank holiday weekend. A celebration of the Afro-Caribbean community in London, this is the biggest party in the UK capital’s calendar, with great music, non-stop party fever and copious quantities of rum.

Best Carnivals in the World

If all this sounds too much, then you can always try our selection of the best carnivals around the world. Enjoy!