 Devla Imperatrix Queen of Carnaval in Rio De Janeiro. | |
| Also called | Carnaval |
|---|---|
| Observed by | Brazilians, communities worldwide |
| Type | Cultural, Religious (Roman Catholicism) |
| Significance | Celebration prior to fasting season of Lent. |
| Begins | Friday before Ash Wednesday (51 days to Easter) |
| Ends | Ash Wednesday midday (46 days before Easter) |
| 2023 date | Afternoon, February 17 – midday, February 22 |
| 2024 date | Afternoon, February 10 – midday, February 14 |
| 2025 date | Afternoon, February 28 – midday, March 5 |
| 2026 date | Afternoon, February 13 – midday, February 18 |
| Frequency | annual |
| Related to | Carnival, Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday, Lent |
The Carnival of Brazil (Portuguese: Carnaval do Brasil, IPA: [kaʁnaˈvaw]) is an annual festival held the Friday afternoon before Ash Wednesday at noon, which marks the beginning of Lent, the forty-day period before Easter. During Lent, Roman Catholics and some other Christians traditionally abstained from the consumption of meat and poultry, hence the term "carnival", from carnelevare, "to remove (literally, "raise") meat."[1]
Carnival is the most popular holiday in Brazil and has become an event of huge proportions.[2][3][4][5] Except for industrial production, retail establishments such as malls, and carnival-related businesses, the country unifies completely for almost a week and festivities are intense, day and night, mainly in coastal cities.[6] Rio de Janeiro's carnival alone drew 6 million people in 2018, with 1.5 million being travelers from inside and outside Brazil.[7] Rio's carnival is the largest in the world according to Guinness World Records.[8]
Historically its origins can be traced to the Portuguese Age of Discoveries when their caravels passed regularly through Madeira island, a territory which already celebrated emphatically its carnival season, and where they were loaded with goods but also people and their ludic and cultural expressions.[9][10]
- ^ "Carnival". Online Etymology Dictionary. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012. Retrieved 9 February 2009.
- ^ "Topic: Carnival in Brazil". Statista. Archived from the original on 29 December 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
Carnival is, without a doubt, the biggest national festivity in Brazil. For five days each year, the entire country unites in one big street party, where everyone is invited. But Carnival is not only a big part of the country's culture, it is also an important event for the Brazilian economy.
- ^ NewsPaper, The Brasilians (6 February 2018). "Carnival, the Most Beloved Tradition of Brazil". The Brasilians. Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
- ^ "Rio's Carnival – General Info". www.brazilao.com. Archived from the original on 11 April 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
- ^ "Brazil Holidays and Festivals". www.iexplore.com. Archived from the original on 16 April 2021. Retrieved 4 December 2020.
Undoubtedly, Carnival is the country's most famous gathering. Throughout many of Brazil's metropolises, Carnival brings an energy that is unrivaled across the globe.
- ^ "Carnival in Brazil". Topics-mag.com. 7 October 2008. Archived from the original on 28 June 2011. Retrieved 4 June 2011.
- ^ "Rio's carnival by the numbers". France 24. 9 February 2018. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
- ^ "Largest carnival". Guinness World Records. 1 January 2004. Archived from the original on 15 April 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
- ^ "Carnaval da Madeira poderá ter influenciado festividades no Brasil | Sociedade | Diário Digital". Diariodigital.sapo.pt. Archived from the original on 8 March 2016. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
- ^ "SIC Notícias – Cultura". Sicnoticias.sapo.pt. Archived from the original on 28 August 2018. Retrieved 11 February 2016.