Once more, it is Carnival Season in many countries around the world with a Roman Catholic heritage. Celebrations and parades are put on just prior to the observance of Lent. Over the past few weeks parades and celebrations have taken place throughout Europe, the Caribbean and South America. An estimated 730,000 foreign tourists, many fleeing snowy winter conditions in Europe and the United States, traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for this year's celebrations. Collected here are a handful of images from some of the elaborate celebrations of this Carnival season.
A young woman participates in the Red Cross Children's Carnival competition at the Queen's Park Savannah in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on February 6, 2010. (REUTERS/Andres De Silva)
A young woman participates in the Red Cross Children's Carnival competition at the Queen's Park Savannah in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on February 6, 2010. (REUTERS/Andres De Silva)
A costumed reveller enjoys his cappuccino in a bar next to Piazza San Marco during the Venetian Carnival in Venice, Italy on February 7, 2010. (REUTERS/Max Rossi) #
A masked Carnival participant poses in Piazza San Marco in Venice, Italy on February 7, 2010. (REUTERS/Max Rossi) #
Alicia San Juan McNulty, wearing a creation called "In Wonderland", reacts after being elected Carnival Queen in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, in the Spanish Canary Island of Tenerife, late February 10, 2010. (REUTERS/Santiago Ferrero ) #
A member of the Uniao da Ilha samba school, which this year pays tribute to "Don Quixote of La Mancha", works on a float dedicated to Spanish writer Miguel Cervantes, at Samba City in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on February 9, 2010. Samba City is a sort of workshop where Rio's samba schools make their floats and the fancy dresses for the famous carnival, which this year runs from February 12-17. (VANDERLEI ALMEIDA/AFP/Getty Images) #
A carnival float from the Salgueiro samba school under construction in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 8, 2010. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) #
A red devil stares at fire during the National Carnival Commission's Traditional Mas competition at Victoria Square, Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on February 10, 2010. (REUTERS/Andrea De Silva) #
Dancers parade for the Leandro de Itaquera samba school during Carnival in Sao Paulo, Brazil on February 12, 2010. (REUTERS/Paulo Whitaker) #
A performer from the Academicos do Tucuruvi samba school parade in a float at the Sambadrome as part of Carnival celebrations in Sao Paulo, Brazil early on February 13, 2010. (MAURICIO LIMA/AFP/Getty Images) #
A dancer performs during the parade of Leandro de Itaquera samba school at the Sambadrome in Sao Paulo, Brazil on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010. (AP Photo/Andre Penner) #
A reveller rubs herself with mud at the Bloco da Lama carnival in Paraty near Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on February 13, 2010. (REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes) #
Masked carnival-goers pose for pictures during the traditional carnival of Barranquilla, Colombia, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010. (AP Photo/ Christian Escobar Mora) #
A float parades during the 126th edition of the Nice Carnival, Saturday, Feb. 13, 2010, in Nice, southern France. This year's carnival celebrates the theme "King of the Blue Planet". (AP Photo/ Lionel Cironneau) #
A dancer dressed up as an angel performs in the carnival parade in Oruro, some 400 kms from La Paz, Bolivia on February 13, 2010. The Carnival of Oruro is one of Bolivia's largest cultural events, and in 2001 was declared by UNESCO as one of mankind's Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. (AIZAR RALDES/AFP/Getty Images) #
A reveller makes a face during the traditional carnival of Barranquilla, Colombia, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2010. (AP Photo/ Christian Escobar Mora) #
A member of the Imperador do Ipiranga samba school parades atop of a float at the Sambadrome, as part of Carnival celebrations in Sao Paulo, Brazil, late on February 12, 2010. (MAURICIO LIMA/AFP/Getty Images) #
Members of the Mocidade Alegre samba school parade at the Sambadrome in Sao Paulo, Brazil on February 14, 2010. (MAURICIO LIMA/AFP/Getty Images) #
Carnival revellers dressed as "peliqueiros" run through a street in Spain's northwestern village of Laza on February 14, 2010. "Peliqueiros" or ancient tax collectors, used to pursue villagers through the streets during their tax collection, ringing cowbells and hitting villagers with their sticks. (REUTERS/Miguel Vidal) #
Carnival-goers pass through the centre of Maastricht, Netherlands on February 14, 2010. (VALERIE KUYPERS/AFP/Getty Images) #
Carnival revellers march during the traditional street carnival, the so-called "Narrensprung", in the southwestern German town of Rottweil February 15, 2010. Disguised in handmade costumes and wooden masks from the 17th century, they pass the city's gate and walk through the streets of Rottweil by jumping up and down on wooden sticks. (REUTERS/Miro Kuzmanovic) #
The troupe Dzolamari from the village of Begnishte near Kavadarci, Macedonia, participates in the carnival in Prilep on February 14,2010. The Dzolamari keep alive the ancient tradition of rebuking the evil spirits at the beginning of every New Year, which is now obsolete in Macedonia. The Prilep Carnival, one of the few in the Republic of Macedonia, marks the beginning of Lent according to the Christian Orthodox calendar. (ROBERT ATANASOVSKI/AFP/Getty Images) #
Carnival revellers participate in a parade on the streets of Ovar, Portugal on February 14, 2010. (REUTERS/Jose Manuel Ribeiro) #
A member of the band "Sweet Trinbago" participates in the National Junior Parade as part of Carnival celebrations at the Queen's Park Savannah in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago on February 13, 2010. (REUTERS/Andrea De Silva) #
Dancers perform on an Uniao da Ilha samba school float during carnival parade at the Sambadrome, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2010. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) #
Children take part in Carnival festivities in the northeastern Brazilian city of Olinda on February 13, 2010. (REUTERS/Alex Almeida) #
A reveller, carrying a bull's head made cardboard, takes part in carnival celebrations amidst exploding fireworks as people get out of his way in Zapotitlan, outskirts of Mexico City, Sunday, Feb. 14, 2010. (AP Photo/Eduardo Verdugo) #
A dancer from the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school performs at the Sambodrome, during the first night of Rio de Janeiro's famed carnival parades, in Brazil on February 14, 2010. (VANDERLEI ALMEIDA/AFP/Getty Images) #
A reveller of the Imperatriz Leopoldinense samba school rides on a float in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome on February 14, 2010. (REUTERS/Sergio Moraes) #
A member of the Salgueiro samba school performs on a float at the Sambodrome during the first night of Rio de Janeiro's famed carnival parade early on February 15, 2010. (JUAN BARRETO/AFP/Getty Images) #
Members of Imperatriz samba school parade during carnival celebrations at the Sambodrome in Rio de Janeiro, Monday, Feb. 15, 2010. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) #
A member of Beija Flor samba school performs on the front of a float during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, early Monday, Feb.15, 2010. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia) #
Skiing Batmen ride aboard a Unidos da Tijuca samba school float during the Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome, February 14, 2010. (REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes) #
Revellers aboard a Uniao da Ilha samba school float participate in the first night of this year's Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome on February 14, 2010. (REUTERS/Ricardo Moraes) #
A member of the Unidos da Tijuca samba school performs at the Sambodrome in Brazil on February 14, 2010. (VANDERLEI ALMEIDA/AFP/Getty Images) #
Revellers of the Beija Flor samba school perform at the Sambodrome in Rio de Janeiro on February 15, 2010. (VANDERLEI ALMEIDA/AFP/Getty Images) #
Members of the Uniao da Ilha do Governador samba school perform atop their float at the Sambodrome in Brazil on February 14, 2010. (VANDERLEI ALMEIDA/AFP/Getty Images) # 
A costumed dancer of Viradouro samba school performs during carnival celebrations at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro, Feb.15, 2010. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) #
Revellers of Mocidade Alegre samba school pose at the Sambadrome as the parade past in Sao Paulo, Brazil early on February 14, 2010. (MAURICIO LIMA/AFP/Getty Images) #
