1. Carnaval

2. What?
A Celebration!
Signifies the beginning of Lent, the 40-day period before Easter
Name comes from Latin and means “farewell to meat”

4. Why?
It is a Catholic tradition to give up meat during the 40 days of Lent
Therefore, Carnaval is the last chance to indulge before this time of fasting

5. When?
Just before Lent
In some areas especially small cities and towns, only the day before Ash Wednesday (the first day of Lent)
In other areas celebrations begin several days before the beginning of Lent
Example: In Mexico Carnaval officially runs for five days

7. Where? ALL OVER THE WORLD!
Most countries with a significant Catholic population celebrate Carnaval
Most well-known celebration is in Brazil
Another well-known celebration is in Puerto Rico
Even in the US: New Orleans!

8. Salvador, Brazil

9. Ponce, Puerto Rico

10. How? Floats Fireworks Cascarones Special Ceremonies Vejigantes
Burning of the sardine and effigies
Crowning of a Carnaval Queen or El Rey Feo
Vejigantes

11. Cascarones: Painted eggs filled with glitter that are smashed over the heads of others people for good luck

12. Cascarones

13. Burning of the Sardine
The burial of the sardine takes place on Ash Wednesday and consists of a procession with a huge model fish which is finally "cremated". On this day local people get rid of their colourful costumes and wear black widow's weeds as a sign of mourning, they cry at the funeral of the sardine which marks the end of the carnival. The exaggerated wailing of these "widows," who are often accompanied by some rather irreverent members of the clergy, makes this a really comical show.

15. Crowning of a Rey Feo

16. Carnaval Queen

18. Vejigantes

19. The Vejigante (bay-he-GAHN-tay) is a colorful character first introduced to carnival celebrations hundreds of years ago. He is an example of the blending of African, Spanish, and Caribbean influences in Puerto Rican culture.
The name Vejigante originates from the Spanish word for bladder, vejiga. The character playing the Vejigante inflates a dried cow's bladder and paints it to resemble a balloon. The Vejigante's costume is made from scraps of fabric and looks like a clown suit with a cape and bat wings under the arms. The usual colors are red, yellow, and black. Present day Vejigante revelers often use plastic or balloons in place of the original cow bladder.

20. During the carnival celebrations in Loíza Aldea and Ponce, the Vejigantes roam the streets in groups and chase children with their vejigas. Get too close and you might get hit by a vejiga!
The Vejigante is such an old character that he is even mentioned in the classic novel Don Quixote written in 1605.

27. Sources http://www.mexonline.com/carnaval.htm

28. Photos http://farm1.static.flickr.com/240/448002239_a5a44d47d5.jpg
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