Carnaval is celebrated in dozens of countries across Europe, Latin America, the Caribbean, North America, and beyond, mostly in places with Christian (especially Catholic) traditions, but today people of many backgrounds join in, whether they are religious or not.

Who celebrates Carnaval?

At its core, Carnaval is a pre-Lent festival, so it is especially common in historically Catholic or other Christian countries that observe Lent. Over time it has also become a major cultural and tourist event, attracting visitors worldwide who celebrate alongside locals.

Major regions and examples

  • Latin America
    • Brazil (Rio de Janeiro, Salvador, Recife/Olinda, São Paulo).
* Colombia (Barranquilla Carnival).

* Venezuela (including El Callao).

* Mexico, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, Argentina, Uruguay, and others host regional Carnavales with parades, masks, and music.
  • Caribbean
    • Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, Curaçao, Dominica, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, and more have big Carnival traditions with costumes, steelpan or soca music, and street parties.
* Many of these grew out of a mix of European pre-Lent customs and African and Creole cultural expressions after emancipation.
  • Europe
    • Italy (Venice Carnival with masks and balls).
* Spain (e.g., Cádiz, Santa Cruz de Tenerife).

* Germany, Switzerland, and other parts of Europe celebrate related pre-Lenten festivals under names like Fasnacht or Fastelavn, but they are part of the same broader Carnival tradition.
  • North America
    • United States: New Orleans’ Mardi Gras is one of the most famous Carnival-style celebrations in the world.
* Canada has winter carnivals and some communities with Catholic or Caribbean roots celebrate Carnival-style events as well.
  • Other regions
    • Some places in Africa and Asia with colonial or missionary history also host Carnival celebrations, often tied to Portuguese, French, or Spanish influence.
* Diaspora communities worldwide (for example, Caribbean people in London, Toronto, or New York) hold Carnival-style festivals inspired by these traditions, even if the local majority doesn’t celebrate Lent.

Who personally takes part?

Within these countries, a wide range of people celebrate:

  • Practicing Christians marking the last days before Lent with feasting and festivity.
  • Non-religious locals who see Carnaval as part of their cultural identity and national pride.
  • Artists, dancers, musicians, and community groups (like samba schools in Brazil) who prepare all year for parades and competitions.
  • Tourists from all over the world, who join as spectators or even as costumed participants in some parades.

In short, Carnaval started as a Christian pre-Lent festival, but today it’s celebrated by entire cities and nations—often millions of people at a time—far beyond just religious communities.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.