CARNAVAL DE MARDI GRAS (FAŠIANGY)

Fat Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday. It is the last day of rejoicing before the forty-day fast of Lent, introduced at the end of the 4th century by the Christian Church. It is a period of transition from winter to spring and a great traditional festival, especially in Slovakia's villages. Disguise is the order of the day for this festival, which some open-air museums maintain, such as the one in Martin.