Esperanza Butler wrote about Mardi Gras. In Europe, the practice dates back to the Middle Ages where they were celebratory periods before Lent began. 
Today, most Catholic areas in Europe still celebrate during the week before
lent. The celebration in 
the Catholic parts of Germany, for example, are called "Karnival" with the exeption of Bavaria – in Munich it’s called “Fasching” and it’s very big.
The main day is “Rose Monday” when there are parades everywhere, beautiful floats, carnival princesses and people dance and drink in the streets until they drop, like Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Tuesday (called Shrove Tuesday), is the day people in English speaking countries eat a main meal of pancakes. Butter, sugar and eggs are not consumed freely during Lent so everyone wanted to “fill up” on such delights before Ash Wednesday.
In Italy they celebrate "Carnevale", particularly in Venice where it begins two weeks before Ash Wednesday. Around 30,000 people flock into Venice every day during Carnevale to see the parades and admire the artistic masks people wore to hide their social standing - or just their identity!
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