Martin Meissner/AP
Düsseldorf, Germany: Carnival is truly international. A reveler from Bolivia celebrates during the traditional Carnival parade in Düsseldorf, Germany, on Monday, February 24. Click through the gallery for more photos of celebrations around the world from Carnival season 2020:
Antonio Calanni/AP
Venice, Italy: Boats sail during the water parade, part of the Venice Carnival, on Sunday, February 9. The festivities in the lagoon city attract people from around the world, but this year celebrations were cut short due to Italy's coronavirus outbreak.
Luca Bruno/AP
Venice, Italy: A woman wearing a Carnival costume sits on a bench of the Palazzo Ducale on Sunday, February 16.
Vincenzo Pinto/AFP/Getty Images
Venice, Italy: Artists perform during the opening day of the Venice Carnival on the Cannaregio Canal on Friday, February 8.
Pablo Porciuncula/AFP/Getty Images
Montevideo, Uruguay: Performers participate in the opening parade of the Uruguayan Carnival -- one of the world's longest -- on Thursday, January 23.
Matilde Campodonico/AP
Montevideo, Uruguay: A woman applies makeup to a drummer's face in preparation for Las Llamadas, the Uruguayan Carnival that has its roots in the traditions of African slaves, on Friday, February 14.
Pablo Porciuncula Brune/AFP/Getty Images
Montevideo, Uruguay: Performers from the French Les Grande Personnes Artist-in-Residence program participate in the opening parade of the Uruguayan Carnival on Thursday, January 23.
Daniel Cole/AP
Nice, France: The "King of Fashion" is introduced to the crowd during the "corso" parade of the 136th edition of the Nice Carnival on Saturday, February 15.
Valery Hache/AFP/Getty Images
Nice, France: A participant in fancy dress takes part in the 136th Nice Carnival parade on Saturday, February 15.
Leo Correa/AP
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Performers from the Portela samba school parade during Carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio on Monday, February 24.
Leo Correa/AP
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Drum queen Gracyanne Barbosa from the Uniao da Ilha samba school performs on Monday, February 24.
Silvia Izquierdo/AP
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: A dog dressed for Carnival participates in the "Blocao" dog parade along Copacabana Beach on Sunday, February 16.
Fernando Maia/RioTur HANDOUT/EPA/Shutterstock
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: Thousands of people joining the "Fogo e Paixao" troupe to celebrate in advance the Carnival party in downtown on Sunday, February 16.
Leo Correa/AP
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: A reveler in a costume enjoys the "Cordao do Boitata" street party on Sunday, February 16.
Ina Fassbender/AFP/Getty Images
Cologne, Germany: Members of the gay Carnival group "Rosa Funken" (Pink Sparks) take a selfie in a changing room at the gay-lesbian carnival meeting "Roeschensitzung" (Session of the Little Roses) on Friday, February 7.
Michele Tantussi/Getty Images
Berlin, Germany: Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, receives a member of the regional Carnivals Committee on Wednesday, January 22.
Gabriel Bouys/AFP/Getty Images
Tenerife, Canary Islands: Sara Cruz Teja celebrates after being elected Carnival Queen during the celebrations on Wednesday, February 19.
Miguel Barreto/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Tenerife, Canary Islands: Contestant Lorena Gomez prepares to take part in a gala to elect Santa Cruz de Tenerife's Queen of the Carnival on Wednesday, February 19.
Ronald Patrick/Getty Images
Lucerne, Switzerland: Women in colorful costumes perform during the Carnival Parade (Fritschi Umzug) on Thursday, February 20.
Alexandra Wey/Keystone/AP
Lucerne, Switzerland: Costumed revelers pose in front of the Chapel Bridge on the opening day of Carnival on Thursday, February 20.
Alexandra Wey/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Lucerne, Switzerland: Costumed revelers attend the "Urknall" (Big Bang), which takes place at 5 a.m. and initiates Carnival on Thursday, February 20.
Valentin Flauraud/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Arolla, Switzerland: Men dressed in traditional "peluche" ("plush" in French) parade through the forest and streets of the Alpine village on Wednesday, February 19. They wear animal furs, beastly masks and ring their bells to scare away the bad spirits of winter.
Emilio Huascar/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
Oruro, Bolivia: An orchestra conductor leads his musicians during the Oruro Carnival Band Festival, on Saturday, February 15.
Patrick Seeger/dpa/AP
Rottweil, Germany: Masked revelers prepare to take part in Carnival on, Monday, February 24.
Alvaro Barrientos/AP
Lesaka, Spain: Participants dressed as the traditional carnival characters "Zaku Zaharrak," or Old Sack in Basque language, pose while taking part in a Carnival parade on Sunday, February 23.
Ander Gillenea/AFP/Getty Images
Lantz, Spain: Revelers dressed as Txatxoak characters get ready to take part in an ancient Carnival tradition in the village in northern Spain.
CNN  — 

Ash Wednesday is just days away (Wednesday, March 6). So you know what that means.

Carnival time kicks up around the world as people, most particularly folks in areas with strong Roman Catholic traditions, get their party on before the more solemn, introspective days of Lent commence.

A few destinations are practically synonymous with Carnival festivals – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, leads the list with celebrations dating back to the 1700s.

The wild times at Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday) in New Orleans, Louisiana, are the stuff of legends (and hangovers).

Venice, Italy, draws huge crowds annually with its fancy balls, masked celebrants and parade boats plying the canals.

Essential New Orleans: 7 can't-miss experiences

Just as parties tend to get chaotic at times, there’s no global standard for when Carnival begins.

In Cologne, Germany, they get a big jump on things with their annual season technically starting back way on November 11.

But around the world, it’s the week before Ash Wednesday when the merrymaking, overindulgence of food and drink and pursuit of earthly delights reach a fever pitch.