More than just a festival

Helps society

In the past times Carnivals generated in society as a form to balance and release tension and frustration. While parties and festivals are ordinary events to decompress, carnivals are moments of reflections mixed with temporary accepted societal rules.

Allows critique

through satire, parody or mask it allows to challange traditional norms, expose and laugh on status quo

Role experimentation

individuals can step out their comfort zone and everyday identity

Enable suspension of Normal order

it temporarily dissolve hierarchies allowing people to reset or decompress

demands active engagement: dressing up, singing, interacting with strangers

Participation over Spectatorship

people belonging to different social groups co-perform a shared narrative

Foster solidarity

This is how we define Carnival

A recurring public celebration, usually held in the streets of a city town, featuring unusual or elaborate clothing, collective dancing, festive music and communal eating and drinking.

It often reflects cultural, seasonal , or historical traditions and may involve parades, performances, and public rituals.

A carnival typically encourage wide community participation, suspension of normal order and symbolic or satirical expression

Elements that define a carnival

Recurring public celebration

Is it scheduled annually, tied with another calendar event?

The list below will help you to understand what differentiate carnivals from festivals or more religious/folkloristic celebrations

Held in streets

Does it take place in the streets of the city?

Unusual or elaborate clothing

Does it involve masquerade, costumes, transformation?

Dancing, music, eating

Does it involve communal festive behaviours? (often festivals check this box only)

Connected to cultural/seasonal/historical tradition

Does it have roots in a shared tradition or story? (often folkloristic or religious events check only this box)

Community participation

Is the community not just an audience?

Suspension of normal order

Symbolic/satirical expression

Does it includes inversion, satire, masks, play

Does it express social or political commentary?

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4 Categories

To simplify even more we introduced 4 categories that describes the carnivals in our platform (we introduced "not a carnival" to label events often required by our users

True Carnival

Feature all 8 criteria of a carnival as listed above. Satire is often a motive of the carnival

Community Carnival

Carnival Inspired Events

Not a carnival

Strong traditional or seasonal roots with parade, costumes and festivity. Lacks full symbolic reversal or deep satire

Visually or thematically resembles carnival. Limited cultural depth or public participation

Lacks key traits and would be better classified as fair, festival or concert