There are few spectacles across the globe that bring together greater displays of music, color, tradition and community than street carnivals. From the famous Rio Carnival, to other less known examples, you can be sure that time spent at a carnival will be a good time. To help you pick one that is right for you, here are five of the world’s best carnivals.

Notting Hill Carnival

Notting Hill Carnival
The largest street festival in Europe, Notting Hill Carnival takes place each year in the West London borough of Notting Hill (as the name suggests!), and brings thousands of revellers to the streets over the August bank holiday weekend. 

The real fun begins on Monday, when the procession takes to the streets to dance towards its final destination of Ladbroke Grove. The carnival is traditionally a celebration of the area’s rich Caribbean heritage, with calypso and R&B music streaming from various sound systems and participants decked out in their finest and most colorful carnival costumes.

Over the years the carnival’s popularity has been sufficient to attract big name performers from the music world, with artists such as Katy B, Wyclef Jean and Jamiroquai – giving you all the more reason to turn up.

Another great draw of the carnival is the many food stalls that pepper the procession route with delicious Caribbean cuisine, such as jerk chicken, fried plantain and incredible goat curries. After the inevitable few glasses of rum punch you may need a place to lay your head for the night and there are loads of great cheap hotels in London to choose from in the area.

Barbados Crop Over
For the true Caribbean Carnival experience, there is no substitute for the Crop Over festival that takes place on the Caribbean island of Barbados. The origin of the festival can be easily deduced from the name – ‘Crop Over’. The carnival was started to mark the end of each year’s successful sugar cane harvest, a celebration which dates back to colonial times, when Barbados was the largest producer of sugar on the planet.

To celebrate the end of the harvest the sugar plantation workers would hold grand feasts and indulge in some light drinking, a tradition that has grown over the years into the country’s largest and most vibrant festival. The culmination of the two month event held in June, is a spectacular fireworks display that can be seen for many miles.

Quebec Winter Carnival
In an altogether more arctic environment than the Crop Over festival, you can still enjoy a carnival that retains the feeling of celebration and festivities of its warmer relatives. The Quebec Winter Carnival takes place in the Canada’s Quebec City.

The first official Quebec Winter Carnival took place in 1955, but winter themed festivities have been happening in the city since 1894, usually consisting of eating, drinking and merriment to coincide with the start of Lent.

The modern day carnival includes a range of unsurprisingly chilly activities, including dog sled racing and snow sculpture competitions, which make up just a small part of the 300+ shows and activities on offer. The 17 day festival period plays host to around 750,000 people each year, but as the carnival is held through the end of January and early February it is certainly advisable to wrap up warm for your visit.

Carnival in Rio de Janeiro

Rio Carnival
Fantastic carnival action can be found in Rio de Janeiro and like the Quebec Winter event this is held just before Lent, although it tends to start slightly later in the year, either in mid to late February or early March. This four-day celebration kicks off 40 days before the beginning of Easter, commencing on Saturday and finishing on Shrove Tuesday.

With two million people taking to the Brazilian city’s streets every day of the event, this is the world’s biggest carnival so you’ll definitely be in good company if you choose to be part of it. Hundreds of groups of performers, called bandas and blocos, dress up in extravagant themed costumes and dance to the sound of samba music. While the festival is mainly about fun, there is a competitive element to it with each team out to win the prestigious accolade of having the best float.

New Orleans Mardi Gras
Taking place around the same period of time as the Rio Carnival are the Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans. Although Mardi Gras events have been held throughout the state of Louisiana since the 1830s, it is the New Orleans spectacle that is the biggest and most celebrated version.

Designed as a final celebration before the start of Lent, here parades are held on a daily basis for about two weeks up until the event’s close on Shrove Tuesday. Many of these start in the Uptown and Mid-City districts of the city before heading along St Charles Avenue and Canal Street, with float riders often tossing colorful beads into the crowds. You’ll also find lots of parties and celebrations taking place in Bourbon Street and the French Quarter, with marching jazz bands putting on great performances.

Another traditional element of the celebrations are king cakes, which are made from cinnamon-filled dough that is shaped into a hollow circle and finished with a glazed topping and coloured sugar, so make sure that you try one of these tasty treats while watching the fun.

With so many wonderful carnivals happening all over the world, you’re sure to find a fabulous street party wherever you are.

This article was written by the team at Travel Supermarket. Visit their site to compare thousands of holiday and travel deals from the leading travel sites.

What is your favorite carnival or street party? Please share in the comments below!

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Photos purchased from istockphoto.com. First photo by Graham Heywood. Second photo by Joseph Luoman. 

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