What Is Carnival? Everything to Know About the Celebration that Leads to Mardi Gras
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Before all the cheer and merriment of Mardi Gras, first comes Carnival — the marker of the celebration period before Lent.
This special season symbolizes joy and freedom and allows people to party and let loose before they restrict themselves for Lent.
Read on for more of the backstory on Carnival.
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What is Carnival?
Not to be confused with Mardi Gras, Carnival refers to the bevy of events that lead up to Mardi Gras. "Carnival is a time to eat, drink and be merry before the rigorous fasting and sacrifice during Lent," according to Mardi Gras New Orleans. "It is filled with parades, balls and other celebrations."
Though most people use Carnival and Mardi Gras interchangeably, Mardi Gras translates to "Fat Tuesday" in French and refers specifically to the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday.
When does Carnival 2023 start?
The Carnival season always begins after the Christian feast of the Epiphany or Three Kings Day. For 2023, it began on Jan. 6 and will go until Fat Tuesday, which is Feb. 21 this year.
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What is the history behind Carnival?
Because Carnival goes all the way back to the ancient days of pagan spring and fertility rites, much of its origin derives from Medieval Latin. In fact, "carnelevarium means to take away or remove meat, from the Latin carnem for meat," according to History.com.
How do people celebrate Carnival?
Tons of parades and parties take place during Carnival. However, the Krewe du Vieux is one of the most important and highly anticipated, given it was one of the earliest parades of the New Orleans Carnival calendar, which was founded in 1987.
The entire celebration period consists of more than 40 themed parade processions and features some of the top brass and traditional jazz bands in New Orleans.
Each year, celebrants of Carnival and Mardi Gras take to Bourbon Street, located in the French Quarter. The epicenter of the fun, the beautiful balcony-lined streets are filled with wild partygoers enjoying the sites, while shouting at parade participants for beads and doubloons.
The holiday period is celebrated extensively in areas of South America, as well as Europe and the Caribbean, too, with each region bringing its own cultural traditions to the festivities, per The Economist.
