Parades, music, dancing in the streets — joyous Carnival celebrations marking the final days of revelry before Lent are peaking in New Orleans, Rio de Janeiro and other locales in the Americas and Europe.
Each city has its unique Carnival customs but the similarities are inescapable. Dancers in feathered headdresses gyrated and strutted in parades featuring lavish floats with giant figures of Greek gods or pop stars. Costumes abounded and the themes of the various festivities ran from whimsical to satirical.
Shoulder-to-shoulder crowds savored the music and rhythms around a music truck in Salvador or outside Bourbon Street nightclubs in New Orleans.
Krewe of Tucks parades on the Uptown route through New Orleans on Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, during carnival season before Mardi Gras. (Sophia Germer/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP)
As the celebrations grew over the weekend, fanciful costumes were on the rise. One group of revelers wore costumes made from beer and soda cans during a parade in Madre de Deus, Brazil, on Sunday. A reveler in New Orleans strolled Bourbon Street in an intricately beaded hat adorned with gold butterflies.
Politicians and world figures were lampooned. The words “Choke on it ”were lettered on a float in Cologne, Germany, showing a giant Vladimir Putin eating Ukraine. In New Orleans, Donald Trump, President Joe Biden and his son Hunter and the local mayor were ridiculed in caricatures on floats.
Revelers crowd in together to watch a performance on a passing sound truck popularly referred to as an electric trio, during the “Vumbora” Carnival street party in Salvador, Brazil, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Revelers walk along Bourbon street on the Friday before Mardi Gras Day in New Orleans, Feb. 9, 2024. (Sophia Germer/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP)
Performers from the Salgueiro samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Brazilian model and TV presenter Sabrina Sato from the Gavioes da Fiel samba school performs during a Carnival parade in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
A dancer from the Academicos do Tatuape samba school performs during a carnival parade in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
The Krewe of Bacchus rolls in New Orleans, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, to the theme, "Take a Number, Please." Actor Kevin Dillon reigned as Bacchus LV to lead more than 1,700 riders on 32 floats. (Scott Threlkeld/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP)
Actor Kevin Dillon reigns as Bacchus LV as the Krewe of Bacchus rolls in New Orleans, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, to the theme, 'Take a Number, Please.' The parade featured over 1,700 riders on 32 floats. (Scott Threlkeld/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP)
Revelers wearing costumes made from beer and soda cans take part in the ‘Bloco da Latinha’ street party Carnival parade in Madre de Deus, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A person sprays champagne into the mouth of another Mardi Gras reveler in the French Quarter in New Orleans, Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. (Sophia Germer/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP)
A performer from the Salgueiro samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Performers from the Salgueiro samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
A performer from the Beija Flor samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, early Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
A float depicting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is driven through the streets during the Rose Monday parade in Cologne, Germany, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. (Rolf Vennenbernd/dpa via AP)
A carnival float depicts Russia’s president Vladimir Putin eating Ukraine, lettering reads “choke on it” during the traditional carnival parade in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A float depicting “Barbies and Ken”, with the characters of Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, Alice Weidel (AfD Alternative for Germany), center, and Sahra Wagenknecht (BSW Bündnis Sahra Wagenknecht) is driven through the streets during the Rose Monday parade in Mainz, Germany, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. (Arne Dedert/dpa via AP)
A carnival float depicting US presidential canditate Donald Trump holding a US flag, cut in the shape of a Nazi Swastika, is driven across the old town during the traditional carnival parade in Duesseldorf, Germany, on Monday, Feb. 12, 2024.(AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
Dancers from the Gavioes da Fiel samba school perform on a float during a Carnival parade in Sao Paulo, Brazil, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Andre Penner)
Endymion rolls in New Orleans, Saturday, Feb. 10, 2024, to the theme, “Silents are Golden,” during Carnival season before Mardi Gras. (Scott Threlkeld/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP)
People attend the Beija Flor samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, late Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
A performer from the Salgueiro samba school parades during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Monday, Feb. 12, 2024. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo)
Krewe of Mid-City parades on the Uptown route in New Orleans, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024, during carnival celebrations ahead of Mardi Gras. (Sophia Germer/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP)
Revellers celebrate at the traditional Alter Markt the start of the street carnival in Cologne, Germany, Thursday, Feb. 8, 2024. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)
A reveler watches the Krewe of Thoth parade along their traditional Uptown route in New Orleans, Sunday, Feb. 11, 2024. (David Grunfeld/The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate via AP)
Raquel Poti performs on stilts during the Carmelitas street party on the first day of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Friday, Feb. 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado)
Leave a Reply