Carnival (Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Curaçao, Dominica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay, Venezuela)

A national public holiday in Andorra, Angola, Argentina, Aruba, Bolivia, Brazil, Curaçao, Dominica, Ecuador, French Guiana, parts of Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Martinique, Panama, Puerto Rico, Saint-Barthélemy, Saint Martin, Trinidad and Tobago, Uruguay and Venezuela, and widely celebrated in other parts of the world, Carnival occurs each year in the period leading up to the Christian season of Lent. Carnival is a time of putting worries aside, letting loose and having fun and is characterised by feasting, music, dancing, parades and elaborate costumes and masks. The festival has its origins in ancient celebrations and evolved to incorporate Christian elements.