Mardi Gras is the last big party prior to the fasting period known to Christians as Lent. The colorful celebration is also called Carnival, Fat Tuesday or Shrove Tuesday. Mardi Gras is celebrated in various ways depending on where you go in the world—but always includes a carnival and parade filled with joviality, wacky costumes, sinfully delicious food and some great music.

If you're looking for a great place to have your next party, explore these best, brightest and biggest Mardi Gras galas on the planet.

Binche, Belgium

This is the most popular Mardi Gras in Belgium—dating back to the 1300s—even though other towns have celebrations too. Masked Binche citizens called Gilles carry brooms, wear wooden clogs and bright red costumes while dancing through the excited crowds to ward off evil spirits. As they dance, Gilles toss oranges to the enthusiastic people indicating the approach of spring. The Gilles even have a special pre-Mardi Gras custom of eating a fancy champagne and oyster breakfast.

Nice, France

This city's 15-day Carnival dates back to 1294—the oldest Mardi Gras in the world! Similar to California's Tournament of Roses, Nice's beautiful gala is based solely on flowers; each grand float in the parades are created from flowers. Crowds wait anxiously as the costume-wearing citizens on the floats throw down lilies, mimosas and gerberas.

Cologne, Germany

In Cologne they start their festivities well before everyone else in Germany—November 11th! This town has the biggest parade with more than 1 million participating and dressing up in clown, wizard and Napoleonic costumes. During the Karnival, there's great German food like:

• German donuts called Krapfen
• Bratwurst sausages
• Hot pretzels

Of course, there's plenty of all-night drinking of beer and Gluhwein, a mulled, hot wine. In fact, during the Karnival bars and pubs don't have closing times!

Quebec, Canada

If you're looking for flamboyant samba costumes, you won't see that in Quebec's celebration. Rather, you'll see Bonhomme, the festival's gigantic snowman mascot. This Mardi Gras is different from its warmer climate counterparts—participants whoop it up dressed in bathing suits in an outdoor snow bath and enjoy sporty events like dog sled races and creating snow and ice sculptures.

Barranquilla, Colombia

This city in Latin America has a no-nonsense attitude when it comes to its Carnival and is the second biggest celebration on Earth. The festivities center around the dance traditions of Columbia and their costumes. Many dress up in a costume with large ears, long noses and elephant-like masks called the Marimonda. The jubilee starts the Saturday prior to Ash Wednesday and ends on Tuesday. This country enjoys famous food during its Mardi Gras such as:

• Arepas (corn cakes filled with egg)
• Papas criollas (fried, creamy potato balls)
• Bollo de yucca (yucca tamale-shaped buns)

Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Mardi Gras in Rio is the biggest in the world and it winds through the city with many sparkly parades and scantily-clad costumed Samba dancers. Almost 2 million visitors pack the streets of Rio during Mardi Gras! It's filled with enchanting and dazzling bursts of colors, foods and sounds. During the day, crowds can be seen feasting on things like:

• Street snacks
• Tasty pastries
• Grilled meats
• Black bean fritters
• Cocktails

But by night they chow down on a Brazilian traditional stew of assorted meats and black beans called feijoada. While the official celebration is five days long, the jubilee can begin months ahead of time.

Venice, Italy

The Carnevale in Venice has become famous worldwide for its extravagant balls, masks and costumes. Since this is such a fancy Mardi Gras, many choose to rent their beautiful costumes. People who attend this posh celebration enjoy well-known, rich dishes such as cream-filled cannoli, fried dough with powdered sugar on top (Frittelle) and sausage and meatball-filled Lasagna de Carnevale. The word Carnevale is Latin and means "farewell to meat" which is fitting since the gala happens just before the beginning of Lent.

New Orleans, Louisiana, USA

New Orleans natives and tourists alike have been celebrating Mardi Gras since the 18th century when it was first introduced by the French Catholics—and if you steer clear of Bourbon Street and the French Quarter, you'll find some awesome family-friendly parades. People ride striking floats in many parades through the city wearing costumes and masks and throw colorful, plastic beads to the onlookers. Attendees of these festivities devour the New Orleans traditional dish of veggies, meat and rice called Jambalaya and large quantities of a liquor called Ojen is also enjoyed. The best dessert, by far, at this mega event is King Cake made of a round pastry filled with cinnamon-sugar and covered with purple, yellow and green icing. Hidden somewhere in the cake is a plastic baby that symbolizes baby Jesus; whoever finds Him is awarded good luck.

Your party's sure to be a blast at one of these Mardi Gras extravaganzas with bands like Az Izz, Fly By Radio, The Main Attraction, Big Bling and the Funk Machine, Big Night Dynamite, Trotline, Blackberry Breeze, or Musical Fantasy around. When you've decided on your country of choice, contact us for your music. We have some wonderful bands that would surely get the party started and give you some of those Mardi Gras feels! Oh, and don't forget to take along a pocket translator so you can speak the language.