PowerPoint Show by Andrew

Carnival season is under way across Europe and the Americas. These pre-Lent festivals, often a blend of local pagan and Catholic traditions, usher out the winter and welcome in spring.

Gathered here are images of carnivals around the world, including images from Spain, Brazil, Italy, Germany, Portugal, France, and Bolivia.

A reveler of Beija-Flor performs during the first night of Rio's carnival at the Sambadrome in Rio de Janeiro on February 27, 2017.

A performer wears a wooden mask during the traditional Celtic carnival, "Caretos," on February 27, 2017 in Lamego, Portugal.

A dog dressed for carnival is seen during the "Blocao" dog carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro on February 25, 2017.

A masked reveler poses during the Venice Carnival in Venice, Italy, on February 20, 2017.

A performer takes part in the carnival parade on February 25, 2017, in Madrid.

A performer dances during the Salgueiro performance at the Rio de Janeiro Carnival on February 26, 2017.

People throw fruit at each other in the traditional "battle of the oranges" during the carnival in Ivrea, Italy, on February 26, 2017.

Oranges litter the street after the traditional "battle of the oranges."

Performers dance during Imperatriz Leopoldinense performance at the Rio de Janeiro Carnival on February 26, 2017.

A reveler, dressed to represent the devil as "Diablos de Luzon," and others dressed as "Mascaritas," take part in the carnival celebration in the small village of Luzon, Spain, on February 25, 2017.

Carnival revelers dressed as "Peliqueiros" run along a street in the village of Laza, Spain, on February 26, 2017.

Revelers of the Paraiso do Tuiuti samba school perform during the first night of Rio's carnival on February 26, 2017.

A mud-covered partygoer strikes a pose during the traditional "Bloco da Lama" or "Mud Street" carnival party, in Paraty, Brazil, on February 25.

A performer of the Unidos de Vila Isabel samba school during the first night of Rio's carnival.

Dancers from the Mancha Verde samba school perform during a carnival parade in Sao Paulo on February 25, 2017.

People dressed as "Txatxo" prepare to take part in the ancient carnival of Lantz, in the northern Spanish Navarre village, on February 27, 2017.

The float of the King of Carnival is paraded through the crowd during the 133rd Nice Carnival parade, the first major event since the city was attacked during Bastille Day celebrations last year in Nice, on February 11, 2017.

Witches of the Waldkircher Kandelhexen witches' club look out of windows as they prepare for celebrating the traditional Witches' Sabbath at the market square of Waldkirch, Germany, on February 25, 2017.

Performers from the Paraiso do Tuiuti samba school parade on a float during Carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro on February 26, 2017.

The winner of the 2016 edition of the "Festa delle Marie" Claudia Marchiori performs as the Angel of the new carnival on February 19, 2017, in Venice.

Members of the Diablada group perform during the carnival parade in Oruro, Bolivia, on February 25, 2017.

A young "Federahannes," a jester figure from Rottweil, Germany, participates in the "Narrensprung" (jester jump) parade.

People row during the masquerade parade on the Grand Canal during Venice Carnival on February 12, 2017.

Actors perform as they sail along the Cannaregio Canal for the Carnival Regatta during the Venice Carnival on February 11, 2017.

People dressed as the traditional carnival characters "Zaku Zaharrak," or old sack, as they take part during a carnival parade in the small Pyrenean village of Lesaka, Spain, on February 26, 2017.

A fire-breather performs during the carnival of Jacmel, Haiti, on February 19.

A performer dances during Beija Flor performance at the Rio Carnival on February 26, 2017.

Performers dressed in a traditional costume during annual carnival festivities on February 26, 2017, in Macedo de Cavaleiros, Portugal.

A reveler from the Beija-Flor samba school performs during the carnival parade in Rio de Janeiro on February 27, 2017.

About 2,000 jesters, called "Schuttige," take part in the traditional Schuttige Carnival parade in the city center of Elzach, Germany, on February 26, 2017.

A performer from the Beija Flor samba school parades during carnival celebrations in Rio de Janeiro, on February 27, 2017.