Carnival 2025 Guide: Parade Dates Across France and Beyond!

At the beginning of the year, cities around the globe come alive with the rhythm of carnivals, featuring vibrant parades, magnificent floats, and treats like traditional doughnuts. From Rio to Venice, and including Nice and Dunkirk, these events are a chance to dress up and celebrate. But behind the joyous celebrations lies a religious tradition: to revel before the start of Lent and fasting. Discover everything you need to know about these iconic festivities.

What are the carnival dates for 2025?

Each year, carnival festivities occur between Epiphany and Mardi Gras. Until this date, cities worldwide organize their own carnival. Some may extend the event by a few days or even several weeks. Here are the carnival dates for 2025:

• Carnival dates in Guadeloupe: January 5 to March 5, 2025
• Carnival dates in Dunkirk: January 11 to April 27, 2025
• Carnival dates in Nice: February 15 to March 2, 2025
• Carnival dates in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: February 28 to March 4, 2025
• Carnival dates in Venice: February 22 to March 4, 2025
• Carnival dates in Martinique: March 2 to March 5, 2025

Where does the carnival tradition come from?

The carnival has its roots in ancient traditions. As far back as antiquity, Babylonians celebrated the Sacaea, five days of festivities dedicated to the goddess Anaïtis to mark the arrival of spring, with a role reversal between masters and slaves. In ancient Rome, the Saturnalia around the winter solstice followed a similar principle to honor Saturn.

In the Middle Ages, the Catholic Church initially rejected these pagan festivals before incorporating them. Lent, a 40-day fasting period, and Easter were established in the 8th century, and carnival became popularized as a period of entertainment before Lent. Today, although carnival is no longer specifically religious, it remains linked to Christianity as a celebration preceding this fasting period.

Why do we wear costumes at carnival?

Historically, carnival was marked by a reversal of roles: masters dressed as slaves and vice versa, or the wealthy as the poor. This allowed everyone to mingle regardless of social class and celebrate together. Since then, costumes have been an integral part of carnival, still true today.

Why do we wear masks during carnival?

In the past, wearing a mask helped preserve the mystery of each person’s identity. The mask is essentially a face disguise, concealing the true self underneath. Today, masks are a crucial element of carnival. They provide anonymity for the wearer, helping them fully embody the character they are portraying. Here are some masks to print, make, or color:

Why do we eat doughnuts during carnival?

The tradition of eating doughnuts during carnival originates from Catholic rites. From a religious perspective, carnival is a time of celebration before a period of fasting. Mardi Gras marks the end of the festivities. For Christians, Mardi Gras is an opportunity to enjoy rich and hearty foods one last time before starting a dietary restraint. Doughnuts were prepared to avoid wasting eggs and butter.

What activities can you do with children for carnival?

For carnival, there are many activities to do with family. Children can help make their costumes, or even create their own masks or accessories, such as maracas to make noise in the streets. For a sweet touch, nothing beats a sweet recipe (doughnuts, cupcakes…) to make together with your children.