Carnival Across the Globe
January 15, 2002
It’s January and people all over the world are celebrating Carnival.
In Brazil, it's a hot festival with samba dancing in Rio's Sambodrome and glittering parades throughout the city’s streets.
In the U.S., it's known as Mardi Gras and celebrated mainly in New Orleans and the Deep South.
In Switzerland, the festivities are called 'Fastnacht' and combine medieval rituals such as the dance of death with modern day masquerades and a jubilant party atmosphere.
In German cities along the Rhine, Carnival is deeply rooted in Catholicism and connected to the observance of Lent with some of its traditions dating back to the Middle Ages.
But these days, it's mostly an occasion for people to go out, drink, dress up in fancy costumes and party the night away.