May 1
May Day parade on the Red Square. Photo by Gennady Koposov (Moscow, May 1, 1967).
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May Day parade on the Red Square. Photo by Gennady Koposov (Moscow, May 1, 1967).
Krampus parades, or Krampusläufe, are a pre-Christmas tradition in Austria where costumed figures with horns and fangs parade through towns, often on or around December 5th and 6th. These events feature masked actors, called Krampusse, who rattle chains and sometimes playfully whip spectators, creating a spectacle rooted in pagan rituals and folklore. It is a popular tradition, with parades held in many alpine villages and cities like Salzburg and Innsbruck.
Rio Carnival, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil: The Carnival in Rio de Janeiro is a festival held every year before Lent; it is considered the biggest celebration of Carnival in the world, with two million people per day on the streets. The first Carnival festival in Rio occurred in 1723. The typical Rio Carnival parade is filled with revelers, floats, and adornments from numerous samba schools which are located in Rio. Wikipedia
What would you consider the most famous individual parades in the world? NOT the biggest. Not the most common. Just the most famous.
I described NYC Pride as one of the most famous parades in the world but then realized that may be my NYC and Queer History myopia coming into play. Now, it is the largest pride parade in the world and is considered the inspiration for pride events globally (see: Stonewall), buuuuuut that is only really relevant to queer communities, and infamous to the people who hate us.
The obvious most famous to me is Carnival in Rio, maybe Mardi Gras in NOLA. Quick google suggested Holi but it also just said all of India instead of an individual city's event.
Some friends said the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, which was confusing to me because Thanksgiving is way more specific to the USA than 'the concept of Queer Pride' but they pointed out that, you know, it's in a lot of movies. Just something about giving characters a chance to mess up a giant balloon, I guess.
Another friend suggested the Rose Bowl, but I... had to google what that is.
Again: has to be globally famous, has to be a parade. Not a general event, not 'many parades scattered across a country,' not Really Big but also relatively unknown outside its region (e.g. the Rose Bowl has 750k in attendance but clearly if I don't know it, people in other countries DEFINITELY don't).
By these metrics I'd say it's almost definitely Carnival in Rio but I want to hear what you guys thing.
It’s carnival time in New Orleans, y’all!
View of crowds surrounding the "Peter Peter pumpkin eater" horse-drawn float during the 1925 Hudson's Thanksgiving Day parade. Stamped on back: "Spencer & Wyckoff, photographers, Detroit." Handwritten on back: "Peter, Peter pumpkin eater." Typed on sheet: "(S) Peter, Peter pumpkin eater -- one of the popular floats on Woodward Avenue." 11-26-25
Burton Historical Collection, Detroit Public Library