10 Places in the World (Outside of New Orleans) Where You Can Celebrate Mardi Gras

When: Feb. 21-25

While carnivals are held throughout Brazil, the Carnival in Rio De Janeiro gets much attention as visitors from around the globe come to watch colorful processions. Watch street celebrations happening all over the city, in which everyone gathers to enjoy the pulsating music and dance. Then samba schools, which consist of dance groups, perform on the Saturday and Sunday portions of the festival at the Sambadrome, a stadium where these routines take place. It's definitely a show you don't want to miss, with an impressive combo of color and sound, vibrant costumes, and gigantic parade floats. So, how did this party get started? Its origins go back to Brazil's colonial period with the arrival of the Portuguese, and it initially was influenced by the entrudo, a Portuguese festivity preceding Lent.