Carnival: a word evoking a thousand and one colorful images of performing masqueraders, spectacular floats, ornate costumes and rhythmic, steel-pan drums. The street theater and dancing sculpture that is Carnival is an event celebrated throughout the Americas, Europe and the Caribbean-in such far-away places as Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Port-of-Spain, Trinidad; Venice, Italy; Veracruz, Mexico, and New Orleans, or even closer to home in Toronto and Brooklyn.

Carnival's ritual pageantry usually takes place on the days leading up to Lent and culminates on Shrove Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, which will be observed this year on Feb. 27. Winter, spring and summer carnivals, however, are not uncommon, as outlined in 2001 Carnival Dates From Around the World http://www.tntisland.com/other-carnivals.html.

Although nothing can replace the experience of Carnival itself, there are a number of online resources worth exploring during this bacchanal season. The Grove Dictionary of Art Online, for example, provides a good overview of the origins, symbolism and modern development of Carnival http://www.groveart.com/tdaonline/articles/index.asp?level=T014188, as well as access to articles on related topics ranging from "Pageant and Festival Arts" http://www.groveart.com/tdaonline/articles/index.asp?level=T064588 to "Mask and Masquerade in the African Diaspora" http://www.groveart.com/tdaonline/articles/index.asp?level=T001061&ii=I0012394&type=index.

Carnival Culture http://www.humboldt.edu/~me2/engl480/480front.html-a site devoted to the musical, verbal and popular arts of Carnival-features a selection of links to carnival, calypso and steelband resources on the Web. Real Audio files to the music of Carnival band competition winners, primarily those of Trinidad and Tobago, are included here for our listening pleasure.

Carnaval.com http://www.carnaval.com/main.htm offers guides to Carnival celebrations from around the world, with information on each festival's history, parades, entertainment, costumes and more.

And, for a sense of Carnival's past, two exhibits at the New Orleans Public Library deserve mention-A Century Old: Carnival Memorabilia from 1900 & 1901 http://nutrias.org/~nopl/exhibits/mg2000/mgras00.htm and Designing Woman: The Carnival Art of L‚da Plauch‚ http://nutrias.org/~nopl/exhibits/plauche/plauche.htm-both of which honor the artistic legacy at the heart of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Other Carnival-related materials can be located through the use of the Guide to Resources for the Study of Carnival in New Orleans http://www.nutrias.org/~nopl/gnoa/mgguide/contents.htm.

So it's Carnival day, everybody come and celebrate!