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The History of Carnival
The Carnival Season is a holiday period during the two weeks before the traditional Christian fast of Lent.
The origin of the name “Carnival” is unclear as there are several theories. The most commonly known theory states that the name comes from the Italian carne – or carnovale, from Latin carnem (meat) + levare (lighten or raise), literally “to remove the meat” or “stop eating meat”. It has also been claimed that it comes from the Latin words caro (meat) and vale (farewell), hence “Farewell to meat”. Yet another theory states that it originates from the Latin carrus navalis, which was 
some kind of Greek cart carrying a statue of a god in a religious procession at the annual festivities in honour of the god Apollo.
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This period of celebration and partying had its origin in the need to use up all remaining meat and animal products such as eggs and butter before the fasting season. The celebration of Carnival ends on “Mardi Gras” (French for “Fat Tuesday”, meaning Shrove Tuesday), the day before Ash Wednesday, when the rigours of Lent’s 40 days of fasting and sacrifice begin. It sometimes lasts until Piñata Weekend, the first Saturday and Sunday of Lent.
Carnival is mostly a tradition of long-time Roman Catholic and, to a lesser extent, Christian Orthodox areas of the world. Most Protestant and non-Christian areas do not celebrate it.
Special celebrations around the world
Provincetown Carnival parade
Places especially noted for elaborate Carnival celebrations include Hertogenbosch and Maastricht in The Netherlands, Cologne, Düsseldorf and Mainz in Germany, Portugal, Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Salvador, Recife and Olinda in Brazil, Barranquilla and Pasto in Colombia, Port-of-Spain in Trinidad, Santiago in Cuba, Venice in Italy, Nice in France, New Orleans (See New Orleans Mardi Gras) and Mobile, Alabama in the USA, and Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Cádiz in Spain, Binche Eupen Hasselt and Malmédy in Belgium. The Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in Sydney, Australia, is a well-known pride parade. The Quebec City Winter Carnival is the biggest winter-themed carnival in the world.
In England Shrove Tuesday is celebrated as Pancake Day, but apart from the serving of pancakes and occasional pancake races and football matches, little else of Carnival survived the Reformation. Caribbean influence has led to the establishment of several “West Indian” carnivals, but these are not held in Carnival season.
<!–[if gte vml 1]> <![endif]–><!–[if !vml]–><!–[endif]–>The leading festivities are Notting Hill Carnival in August (reputedly the world’s largest), and Bridgewater in November.
Notting Hill Carnival scenes
CARNIVAL TRIVIA
Many carnivals also have an associated funfair with a number of amusement rides and sidestalls. In America a smaller or non-permanent funfair is called a carnival in contrast to the permanent amusement park.
Princes Park festivalNotting Hill carnival parade dancers
http://www.cardfountain.com/holiday_info/carnival.php Source: The English Wikipedia
Clube de Línguas 