The Carnivalesque and the Ritualesque

The author argues for folkloristic recognition of a "ritualesque" dimension in public events aimed at transforming the attitudes or behaviors of participants or spectators. Drawing on Bakhtin's concept of the "carnivalesque" as a parallel and source of comparison, the author explores the transformative mechanisms of public events such as Earth Day gatherings and antiwar demonstrations. Where the carnivalesque is recognizable in its festivity, the ritualesque becomes realized in the performative use of symbols—including images, music, and movement—to effect social change. Ethnographic examples include Gay Pride parades, Northern Irish Orange Order parades and Bloody Sunday commemorations, and American anti-drunk driving programs.