Carnival is a Western Christian festive season that occurs before the liturgical season of Lent, although its roots are likely to be linked to the pagan festival celebrating the arrival of spring.

The name of the holiday is sometimes also spelled Carnaval, and is said to come from the Latin expression carne levare, which means “remove meat”; a folk etymology derives it from carne vale, “farewell to meat”.

Carnival typically involves public celebrations, including parades, public street parties and other masquerade entertainments, combining some elements of a circus. The main events typically occur during February or early March and this year the celebrations would be happening this week, across the world and most famously in Rio de Janeiro – Brazil.