Quebec Winter Carnival | Carnaval de Quebec | Mardi Gras in Canada

Quebec has transformed the Plains of Abraham, a historic area within The Battlefields Park in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada, into an enormous carnival with room enough to welcome more than a million visitors to the almost three-week-long Quebec Winter Carnival.

The festival ranks as the biggest winter gathering in the world and the third largest carnival after Rio Carnival and New Orleans Mardi Gras in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and New Orleans, Louisiana, USA.

Rowdy pre-Lenten gatherings prevail throughout the world and date back to the beginning of New France, now known as Quebec. The Italian word "carnival," or Mardi Gras connotes the unbridled crowd revelry indulged before the abstinence of Lent.

Sitting here on an a brrr-cold 60-degree February day in Florida, the images just posted from Quebec Winter Carnival 2020 make me shiver! Yet the Quebecois and guests break out of the deep freeze to show their stuff at such "sports" as the bain de neige or snow bath, snow rafting, ice slides and more daring winter high jinx.

Dating from 1894, Quebec Winter Carnival became an institution more than 55 years ago with the creation of Bonhomme and his election as the event's ambassador. Today the Carnival embraces Québec City population bringing tourism and economic activity to the city.

Photo taken in front of the Ice Palace: http://www.flickr.com/photos/meddygarnet/ / CC BY 2.0