Carnival is a Western Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent. The main events typically occur during February or early March, during the period historically known as Shrovetide. Carnival typically involves public celebrations, including events such as parades, public street parties and other entertainments, combining some elements of a circus. Elaborate costumes and masks allow people to set aside their everyday individuality and experience a heightened sense of social unity. Participants often indulge in excessive consumption of alcohol, meat, and other foods that will be forgone during upcoming Lent. Traditionally, butter, milk, and other animal products were not consumed "excessively", rather, their stock was fully consumed as to reduce waste. This festival is known for being a time of great indulgence before Lent, with drinking, overeating, and various other activities of indulgence being performed. For example, Pancakes, donuts, and other desserts were prepared and eaten for a final time. During Lent, animal products are eaten less, and individuals have the ability to make a Lenten sacrifice, thus giving up a certain object or activity of desire.
J'ouvert is a large street party held annually as part of Carnival in many Caribbean islands and in areas where Caribbean peoples have immigrated.
The Toronto Caribbean Carnival, formerly and previously called Caribana (1967-2006), Toronto Caribbean Carnival (Caribana) (2006-2007), Scotiabank Caribana (2007-2011), Scotiabank Toronto Caribbean Carnival (2011-2015), Peeks Toronto Caribbean Carnival (2017-2018) Toronto Caribbean Carnival (2018–present) is a festival of Caribbean culture and traditions held each summer in the city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is a Caribbean Carnival event, that has been billed as North America's largest street festival, frequented by over 1.3 million visitors each year for the festival's final parade and an overall attendance of 2 million. The entire event, which is one of the first Caribbean Carnivals along with those in New York City, Notting Hill and Boston to be held outside of the Caribbean region, brings in over one million U.S. citizens to Toronto and over $400 million into Ontario's economy, annually.
The Trinidad and Tobago Carnival is an annual event held on the Monday and Tuesday before Ash Wednesday in Trinidad and Tobago. The event is well known for participants' colorful costumes and exuberant celebrations. There are numerous cultural events such as "band launch fetes" running in the lead up to the street parade on Carnival Monday and Tuesday. It is said that if the islanders are not celebrating it, then they are preparing for it, while reminiscing about the past year's festival. Traditionally, the festival is associated with calypso music, with its origins formulated in the midst of hardship for enslaved West and Central Africans; however, recently Soca music has replaced calypso as the most celebrated type of music. Costumes, stick-fighting and limbo competitions are also important components of the festival.
Emancipation Day is observed in many former European colonies in the Caribbean and areas of the United States on various dates to commemorate the emancipation of slaves of African descent.
Mashramani, often abbreviated to "Mash", is an annual festival that celebrates Guyana becoming a Republic in 1970.
The Kaapse Klopse is a Cape coloured minstrel festival that takes place annually on 2 January in Cape Town, South Africa. It is also referred to as Tweede Nuwe jaar. As many as 13,000 minstrels take to the streets garbed in bright colours, either carrying colourful umbrellas or playing an array of musical instruments. The minstrels are self-organised into klopse. The custom has been preserved since the mid-19th century.
The Philippine Independence Day Parade takes place annually in the United States along Madison Avenue in the Manhattan borough of New York City. The parade is held on the first Sunday in June. Its main purpose is to create awareness of Philippine culture and to raise funds for charity projects in the Philippines and the United States.
The Labor Day Parade is an annual celebration held on American Labor Day in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, New York City.
Nisei Week is an annual festival celebrating Japanese American (JA) culture and history in Little Tokyo, Los Angeles. Nisei means 2nd generation in Japanese, describing the first American born Japanese, a group which the seven-day festival was originally meant to attract. Though named for the Nisei generation, Nisei Week is no longer targeted at Niseis, nor is the festival still contained within a week. Nisei Week Foundation president for 2006, Michelle Suzuki, described the festival as "the opportunity for people of all backgrounds to celebrate Japanese heritage and culture".
The Antiguan Carnival is a celebration of the emancipation of slavery in the country held annually from the end of July to the first Tuesday in August. The most important day is that of the j'ouvert, in which brass and steel bands perform for much of the island's population. Barbuda's Carnival, held in June, is known as Caribana. The Antiguan and Barbudan Carnivals replaced the Old Time Christmas Festival in 1957, with hopes of inspiring tourism in Antigua and Barbuda. Some elements of the Christmas Festival remain in the modern Carnival celebrations.
Batabano is the name of the Caribbean Carnival held in the Cayman Islands. The festival takes place annually during the first week of May in George Town. Batabano is a time for people of all different descents to gather with a common interest and celebrate community spirit. The Cayman Islands are home to over 100 different nationalities, all brought together and embraced by the festival. It is a cultural celebration filled with music, dance, and elaborate costumes that reflect the landscapes, heritage, and culture. International interest is growing in the Batabano celebrations, despite only having existed for about 30 years.
The September Celebrations are a pair of holidays in Belize only eleven days apart. They are:
Aalborg Carnival is the name for the annual cultural event carnival in the city of Aalborg – the fourth-largest city in Denmark.
The Carnival in the Dominican Republic is a Dominican celebration that takes place throughout February, and sometimes during Holy Week in March. Dominican Carnival is celebrated in most cities and towns in the main streets. Among its main characteristics are its flashy costumes and loud music. The one held in La Vega, which is one of the biggest in the country, and the national parade in Santo Domingo where the first Carnivals held in the Americas.
Carifiesta is an annual Caribbean Carnival held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was established in 1974, and is held in July. The event is coordinated by the Caribbean Cultural Festivities Association, a nonprofit organization. Carifiesta was established prior to some Carnivals that take place in the Caribbean, Cayman Carnival Batabano for example.
Numerous events and festivals are held annually in Metro Manila. They include:
Independence Day is a national holiday in Indonesia commemorating the anniversary of the Indonesia's Proclamation of Independence on 17 August 1945. It was made a national holiday by then-President Sukarno in 1953.
The Platinum Jubilee of Elizabeth II is expected to be celebrated in 2022 in the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth to mark the 70th anniversary of the accession of Queen Elizabeth II on 6 February 1952. In the United Kingdom, an extra bank holiday will be created and the traditional May bank holiday weekend will be moved to the start of June, to create a special four-day Jubilee weekend. The British government has promised a 'once-in-a-generation show' that will "mix the best of British ceremonial splendour and pageantry with cutting edge artistic and technological displays". So long as Queen Elizabeth remains on the throne until 6 February 2022, this will be the first time any British monarch has celebrated a platinum jubilee.
