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Mardi Gras is a Carnival celebration beginning around the Christian feasts of the Epiphany and ending before Ash Wednesday. In French, it actually means “Fat Tuesday”. This is in honor of the fact that revelers celebrate by eating rich fatty foods before the ritual fasting of Lent. Many countries and cities around the world celebrate this holiday. Check out below for the top 10 Mardi Gras celebration around the world.
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10. Venice, Italy
The Carnevale di Venezia, also known as the Carnival of Venice, is one of the oldest Mardi Gras celebration in the world. In fact, it was first celebrated in during the Renaissance in the 12th century. It was celebrated up until the 18th century when Francis II, Emperor of Austria made the holiday and the use of masks illegal.[1]the Points Guy – 10 Cities Outside of New Orleans That Celebrate Mardi Gras However, in 1979, the local Venitian government brought the celebration back. It has been one of the most popular Mardi Gras celebration since. In fact, up to 3 million people celebrate it every year. Today, locals celebrate the holiday by wearing masks made from anything including glass, porcelain, and even leather.
9. Mobile, AL
The party in Mobile, Alabama is actually one of the oldest Mardi Gras celebration in the world as well as the oldest one in the United States. In fact, it was first celebrated in 1703, before New Orleans was officially founded.
Similar to other Mardi Gras celebration, the one in Mobile has many parades, floats, and other events typically found in many different Mardi Gras celebration. However, it is the mystic societies which really set this one apart. Since 1704, they have held private balls and invitation only events for members.[2]blt – Top 10 Places to Celebrate Mardi Gras Outside of Louisiana
8. Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rio’s Carnival is the largest one in the world, with millions of revelers. In fact, in Brazil, it is a national holiday! During this time, people around the country celebrate the holiday with parade watching, costumes, partying, dancing, and drinking. In addition, Samba, the Brazilian Carnival music is played. If you go to the Sambadrome in Rio, you can watch the top samba schools compete for the championship each year.[3]the Points Guy – 5 Reasons Brazil Should Be Your Next Mileage Run
7. Copenhagen, Denmark
You might, not think about Copenhagen when you think about Mardi Gras. However, since its inception in 1982, the Carnival has become Denmark’s largest world music festival. Today, there are over 120 bands, 1,000’s of dancers, and more than 100,000 revelers each year. Similar to Carnival in Rio, people wear feathers, bright colors, beads, headpieces, and even play Samba music![4]the Points Guy – 10 of the Most Instagrammable Places in Copenhagen
6. San Francisco, CA
Mardi Gras in San Francisco has been officially been celebrated for around 40 years. It features music, costumes, dancing, and a Grand Parade. It is very famous for the choreographed dancers and colorful, outlandish costumes. In addition, it is the only city in North America that is part of the Federation of European Carnival Cities.[5]Carnival San Francisco You can see this influence in the Spanish, Brazilian, and Latin American culture throughout the celebration.
5. Pensacola, FL
Any city near the beach is a great location for Mardi Gras celebration. One of the best ones is in Pensacola, Florida. The festival starts in the beginning of January with a parade and a large king cake for the entire community.[6]Pensacola Beach Mardi Gras During the whole month, Pensacola has several balls and parades oriented for people of all ages. The largest parade has more than 250 parade participants and over 100,000 spectators.
4. Canary Islands, Spain
One of the best Mardi Gras celebrations in Spain takes place in the Canary Islands. Each year, they are full of loud music and colorful costumes. However, if you want to get to the center of the celebrations, make sure to go to Tenerife. Here you can see the largest and most popular event, the Grand Carnival Queen Contest. In this contest, young women wear large costumes dresses and headdress, which can weigh more than 50 pounds![7]the Points Guy – 8 Incredible Islands to Escape the Cold This Winter
3. Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
The Mardi Gras celebration that take place in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago are some of the biggest in the world. In fact, some people call them the Mother of all West Indian Carnivals! Like other Mardi Gras celebration, you can find dancing, music, and bright costumes. However, limbo and stick fighting are also important parts of the celebration in Port of Spain. In addition, one of the most popular celebrations “J’ouvert”, which is a dancing street party that lasts from evening to the morning of Fat Tuesday.[8]the Points Guy – 5 Things to Love About Trinidad and Tobago
2. St. Louis, Missouri
Similar to New Orleans, St. Louis, Missouri, was also founded by French Catholic settlers. However, their population quickly dwindled and Mardi Gras celebrations in the city with them as well. However, in the 1980s, a group of locals brought back Mardi Gras celebration when they were drinking at a bar and decided to march over to another one. Today, it has become more than just a group of friends, and is actually one of the largest Mardi Gras celebration in the United States! In fact, the event is so big that there are a lot of corporate sponsors including companies such as Coca-Cola, Red Bull, Hilton Hotels, and Bud Light.[9]the Points Guy – How Three Kings’ Day is Celebrated Around the World
1. New Orleans, Louisiana
For most people, when they think of Mardi Gras, they think about New Orleans. That makes sense, as it is the largest Mardi Gras celebration in the United States with hundreds of thousands of revelers each year visiting the city to each Cajun food, listen to good music, and enjoy Mardi Gras parades and balls.[10]tripsavvy – The Best Cities for Celebrating Mardi Gras in the US Official Mardi Gras parades start taking place about 2 weeks before Mardi Gras. In addition, there are parades and parties for all different types of people. So it is important to plan ahead.
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