1. Rio de Janeiro Carnival – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

• Highlights: The world’s largest and most famous carnival, known for its vibrant samba parades, elaborate costumes, and energetic street parties.

• Key Events: Sambadrome parades with competing samba schools, blocos (street parties), and extravagant floats.

2. Venice Carnival – Venice, Italy

• Highlights: Known for its elegant masks, historical costumes, and the romantic ambiance of Venice.

• Key Events: The masquerade balls, costume contests, and processions in St. Mark’s Square.

3. Mardi Gras – New Orleans, USA

• Highlights: Known for its colorful parades, lively music, and vibrant beads and costumes.

• Key Events: Parades led by “krewes,” with floats, masked riders, and throws (beads, coins, and trinkets).

4. Notting Hill Carnival – London, England

• Highlights: Europe’s largest street festival, celebrating Caribbean culture with dance, music, and food.

• Key Events: Colorful parades, Caribbean music (soca and reggae), and a wide array of street food vendors.

5. Trinidad and Tobago Carnival – Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

• Highlights: Known for its soca and calypso music, elaborate costumes, and pre-Lenten celebration.

• Key Events: Jouvert (pre-dawn celebration), main parade, and competitions for best costumes and steelpan music.

6. Nice Carnival – Nice, France

• Highlights: One of the world’s oldest carnivals, known for its “Battle of Flowers” and artistic floats.

• Key Events: Parades with giant puppets and floats, plus the floral battle where flowers are thrown to the crowd.

7. Binche Carnival – Binche, Belgium

• Highlights: Known for its unique folkloric tradition, designated as a UNESCO heritage event.

• Key Events: The Gilles parade, where performers dressed in elaborate costumes and wax masks throw oranges to the crowd.

8. Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife – Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

• Highlights: Known for its colorful costumes, flamboyant parades, and electric atmosphere.

• Key Events: Selection of the carnival queen, main parade, and street parties filled with music and dancing.

9. Cologne Carnival – Cologne, Germany

• Highlights: Known as “the fifth season,” marked by costumes, humor, and parades.

• Key Events: Rose Monday Parade with elaborate floats and costumed participants throwing sweets and flowers.

10. Oruro Carnival – Oruro, Bolivia

• Highlights: Known for its mix of indigenous and Catholic traditions, with a focus on dance and music.

• Key Events: Diablada (Dance of the Devils) and parades featuring traditional Bolivian costumes and rituals, declared a UNESCO heritage event.