Street parties, infectious music, dancing, parades, delicious food, and incredible costumes; these are just some of the things you’ll experience at a carnival!
Cambridge Dictionary defines a carnival as: “(a special occasion or period of) public enjoyment and entertainment involving wearing unusual clothes, dancing, and eating and drinking, usually held in the streets of a city.” At this time of year, many countries around the world celebrate through carnivals, and each has its own traditions and customs that bring the party to life.
In this blog, we’ll introduce you to some of the most famous carnivals that take place, and give you some ideas for how to bring the carnival spirit into the classroom.
Here are 3 of the brightest and most captivating carnivals from around the world:
Brazil
In Brazil, Carnival is considered the most popular holiday of the year and takes place simultaneously in various capitals, making this celebration one of the largest in the country. In cities like Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, and Salvador, the festivities and parties attract crowds from around the world. ✨
There are parties happening in practically every city in Brazil, making the Carnival an incredible and diverse experience! In Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo, there are the famous samba school parades, which are a spectacle of colours, music, and dance that well represent Brazilian culture – Samba is king is Brazil! You’ll also find various street parties taking place on these days.
You’ll see a wide variety of costumes at Brazil’s Carnival celebrations; creativity reigns supreme! Costumes range from simple and playful (feathers, glitter, masks) to extravagant and elaborate, displaying personal style and sometimes satire. Popular themes include historical references, Brazilian folklore, current events, and fantastical creatures.
Spain
Spanish Carnival is a time of joy, revelry, and creative expression. Spain is well known for its vibrant and lively Carnival celebrations. They can vary between regions, from small villages representing local ancient traditions to large cities with distinct influences and disguises playing a significant role.
That said, there’s no doubt that carnival is celebrated most intensely in Cadiz in Andalusia and Tenerife in the Canary Islands. Cádiz, in Andalusia, is the carnival of street parties and songs full of irony and criticism written by the different groups participating in the events. In the Canary Islands, an elected Queen of Carnival plays a central role in leading the festivities. Colourful parades feature floats, music, and dancers in fancy and eye-catching costumes.
Traditional foods: Spanish people often enjoy Carnival pastries, sweets, and fried snacks like buñuelos, frisuelos or tortillas de Carnaval in Gran Canaria.
Italy
The Carnival of Venice, Italy, is famous around the world for its eye-catching masks and colourful costumes. The carnival traces its origins all the way back to the 12th Century! Today the Carnival is a city-wide celebration featuring masked balls, candlelit boat parades along Venice’s famous canals, street parties and concerts.
Masks have always been an important part of the Venetian Carnival. They can be made in a variety of shapes and styles using leather, porcelain, or even traditional glass techniques. While historically Venetian masks were simply decorated, nowadays you’ll see gold leaf, feathers, sequins and bright colours used to decorate these iconic accessories.
How to bring Carnival into the classroom
So now you’ve had an introduction to some of the world’s colourful carnivals, how can you use this in your classroom? Here’s an idea for a fun activity that will get young learners working on their vocabulary, and a task to help older learners improve their speaking skills.
Mask decorating (Young learners):
Give your learners a printout of a blank carnival mask, and ask them to fill it with colourful drawings. These could be anything they like, or you could give them a theme (such as hobbies, animals etc.). Once they have finished their drawings, put them into small groups or pairs. The learners can then explain what they have drawn using English vocabulary.
Once this is done, they could decorate their masks even more with any craft materials you have to hand. Then help them to carefully cut them out and tie a string or elastic to both sides, so they can wear their beautiful creations for the rest of the lesson.
Independent research (Older learners):
Randomly allocate each student one festival from around the world, and a particular theme; for example, costumes, food and drink, music and dance, or history. Then ask them to research their specific carnival and theme, and put together a short presentation. This could be done in class, or set as a homework task. Once everyone has completed their research, each student can present what they have found out, either in small groups or in front of the class.
Final thoughts
As you’ve seen, many cultures and countries around the world celebrate their own versions of Carnival. While there are lots of differences in how they celebrate, the occasion is always full of colour, festivity and fun. Do you celebrate Carnival, or another popular festival in your home country? We’d love to hear about it – let us know in the comments!