Rio – Venice – Malta
A massive party, a historical event, Carnival is famous and infamousacross the world. And it’s just around the corner! Officially, it falls on the
last 4 days and nights prior to Ash Wednesday. Unofficially, it goes a lot
longer. Most famous in Brazil, especially Rio de Janeiro, it also has a
long history of being celebrated in places like Venice, Trinidad, and
Malta. Here’s a summary of this year’s major events:
Rio de Janeiro
Carnival 2006: 25 – 28 February
In Brazil they celebrate it with drums, dancing and singing in the streets
in an explosion of colour and costumes. Schools and businesses close
as the whole country shuts down for wild celebrations. There are carnival
parades in almost every town and city but the biggest by far is in Rio.
Here Carnival has evolved in two distinct directions: the street carnival
and the “Parade of Schools” in the Sambadrome. The latter is what has
come to be known as one of the world�s biggest festivals. The best
Samba Schools parade on the last Sunday and Monday of Lent in the
Sambadrome � a long, linear purpose-built stadium used but once a year.
