SeeCalifornia.com

You don’t have to travel the globe to experience sizzling Latin sounds or hot Italian romance.  Extravagant costumes and musical dance celebrations can be seen this upcoming weekend and next week at San Diego’s Brazil Carnival, Little Italy Carnevale & Gaslamp Mardi Gras.  San Diego hosts all three, and it’s your chance to see some of the most beautiful girsl in the world (California Girls) who steal the show in bright costumes made of  feathers and sequins. If you’re looking for one city to pull out all the stops for Mardi Gras, San Diego provides the biggest celebrations in the West! Brazilian Carnival (shown in the photo) takes place on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012.

Brazil Carnival on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012 takes place at 4th & B Showcase Theater. Now in its 20th year, this event is a stage show not to be missed! brazilcarnival.com

Little Italy Carnevale on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012,  takes place on India Street (between W. Fir and W. Cedar Streets), with its main stage on W. Date Street.  Last year, Carnevale drew over 12,000 attendees with people dressed in traditional Venetian Carnevale regalia. This event mirrors Carnevale in Venice with various vignettes of entertainment and great Italian food!  Time: 5 – 9 p.m.  littleitalysd.com

The Gaslamp Mardi Gras on Fat Tuesday, Feb. 21, is just one big party. It’s takes up several blocks of Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego which is cordoned off and a fee charged for age 21+ to enter, drink, dance, dine and wander and watch a variety of bands on stages throughout the district. It also includes a Mardi Gras parade.  gaslamp.org