A lot of artists have painted Carnival -- the beginning of Lent -- also known as Mardi Gras. There's a good 18th-century Venetian example by Pietro Longhi on the first site below. Click on it to enlarge.
Then, I'm giving you an Antwerp Carnival scene by Denys van Alsloot; it was done about 1620, and Peter Brueghel the Elder's "Fight Between Carnival and Lent" of 1559. I'm adding Brueghel the Youngers "Kermesse of St. George" of 1628.
You can look for party scenes -- I'm giving you one by Tissot -- and street celebrations; here's one by Monet.
