1People dressed for carnival pose at the start of the Luzern-Carnival in Lucerne. MICHAEL BUHOLZER/REUTERS

2A woman dressed for Weiberfastnacht (Women's Carnival) celebrates in Cologne. INA FASSBENDER/REUTERS

3Revelers smile at a masquerade party during Carnival celebrations in Salvador. UESLEI MARCELINO/REUTERS

4A dog dressed in a sweater takes part in carnival festivities in central Bilbao. VINCENT WEST/REUTERS

5Children take part in the 84th carnival parade of Aalst. SEBASTIEN PIRLET/REUTERS

6A carnival reveller checks her make up at the traditional Rose Monday carnival parade in Duesseldorf. © Ina Fassbender / Reuters/REUTERS

7Revellers participate in a masked ball during celebrations for the Carnival of All Colors in Maragojipe. UESLEI MARCELINO/REUTERS

8Revellers participate in a masked ball during celebrations for the Carnival of All Colors in Maragojipe. UESLEI MARCELINO/REUTERS

9Revelers celebrate Carnival by covering themselves with mud from mangrove swamps in Curuca. PAULO SANTOS/REUTERS

10Revellers participate in a masked ball during celebrations for the Carnival of All Colors in Maragojipe. UESLEI MARCELINO/REUTERS

11A reveller participates in a masked ball during celebrations for the Carnival of All Colors in Maragojipe city. UESLEI MARCELINO/REUTERS

12Revellers of the Unidos do Morro Carnival block take part in a parade during the traditional celebration in Obidos. STRINGER/BRAZIL/REUTERS

13Revellers from the Sao Clemente samba school take part in a parade on the second night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome. RICARDO MORAES/REUTERS

14A reveller from the Sao Clemente samba school takes part in the parade on the second night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS

15The Gilles of Binche parade during the carnival event in Binche. Francois Lenoir/REUTERS

16Revellers from the Salgueiro samba schooll take part in a parade on the second night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome,. RICARDO MORAES/REUTERS

17A reveller from the Mangueira samba school takes part in the second night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome. SERGIO MORAES/REUTERS

18Revellers from the Salgueiro samba school takes part in the parade on the second night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS

19A reveller from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school takes part in the second night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome. RICARDO MORAES/REUTERS

20Carnival revellers dressed as clowns take part in the traditional Rose Monday street carnival parade in Mainz. © Kai Pfaffenbach / Reuters/REUTERS

21A masquerader participates in the Jouvert celebrations marking the start of the Trinidad Carnival street parade in Port of Spain. ANDREA DE SILVA/REUTERS

22Member of a rival team fights with oranges during an annual carnival battle in the northern Italian town of Ivrea. © Stefano Rellandini / Reuters/REUTERS

23Drum queen Barbosa of the Unidos da Tijuca samba school dances during the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome. SERGIO MORAES/REUTERS

24A reveller from the Unidos da Tijuca samba school takes part in the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS

25Revellers in unicorn costumes from the Grande Rio samba school participate in the second night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS

26Drum queen Ana Furtado of the Grande Rio samba school dances on the second night of the annual Carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro's Sambadrome. NACHO DOCE/REUTERS

27Gil wears a creation entitled Imperio by designer Castro before she was crowned Carnival Queen in the annual carnival queen election gala at Santa Cruz de Tenerife on the Spanish Canary Island of Tenerife. Santiago Ferrero/REUTERS

28Masquerader parades on stage at the carnival individual competition at Victoria Square. Andrea De Silva/REUTERS

29Participant Kuki performs in a drag queen competition during carnival festivities in Las Palmas. BORJA SUAREZ/REUTERS

30A man dressed as a vampire takes part in carnival festivities in central Bilbao. Vincent West/REUTERS

31A reveller dressed as a Son de Negro applies lipstick before a carnival parade in Barranquilla. STRINGER/REUTERS

32Revellers wait before their performance at a carnival parade in Barranquilla. STRINGER Colombia/REUTERS

33A carnival float carrying a papier-mache figure depicting German Chancellor Angela Merkel is pictured during the traditional Rose Monday street carnival parade in Mainz. Kai Pfaffenbach/REUTERS

34Musicians take part in the traditional Rose Monday street carnival parade in Mainz. Kai Pfaffenbach/REUTERS

35A carnival float with papier-mache showing German Chancellor Merkel and French President Sarkozy is pictured at the traditional Rose Monday carnival parade in Duesseldorf. Ina Fassbender/REUTERS

36A float with papier-mache depicting Iran's President Ahmadinejad with a dynamite in his mouth is pictured at the traditional Rose Monday carnival parade in Duesseldorf. Ina Fassbender/REUTERS

37Member of a rival team takes oranges from the ground during an annual carnival battle in the northern Italian town of Ivrea. Stefano Rellandini/REUTERS

38Men in fancy costumes chat during the Carnival of Cadiz. Marcelo Del Pozo/REUTERS

39Competitor Eustace wears a costume called D Midnight Messenger during the Kings of Carnival in Port of Spain. Andrea De Silva/REUTERS

40Competitor St George wears a costume called Ralliez-Vous A Mon Panache Blanch during Kings of Carnival in Port of Spain. Andrea De Silva/REUTERS

41Competitor Chin wears a costume called Prince Siegfried, The Story of The Swan lake during Kings of Carnival in Port of Spain. Andrea De Silva/REUTERS

42Competitor Patricia Bailey wears a costume called Exotic Sunset On The Horizon during Queens of Carnival in Port of Spain. Andrea De Silva/REUTERS

43A woman takes a mud bath during Jouvert celebrations marking the start of the Trinidad Carnival street parade in Port of Spain. Andrea De Silva/REUTERS

44People covered in mud dance during Jouvert celebrations marking the start of the Trinidad Carnival street parade in Port of Spain. Andrea De Silva/REUTERS

45Women dance during a carnival parade in Aalst. Sebastien Pirlet/REUTERS

46A carnival reveller gets his make-up fixed before the start of the traditional Rose Monday street carnival parade in Mainz. Kai Pfaffenbach/REUTERS

47A carnival float with papier-mache depicting German Chancellor Merkel is pictured at the traditional Rose Monday carnival parade in Duesseldorf. Ina Fassbender/REUTERS