Robert HardingOne of the world’s strangest festivals takes place on Mardi Gras (Shrove Tuesday) in Binche, Belgium. Men parade through the town while wearing bizarre masks and shaking sticks to ward off evil spirits, accompanied by boys carrying baskets of oranges which they hurl at the crowds to welcome in the oncoming summer.
Detail of a mask used in the carnival in Binche, Belgium (Kris Pannecoucke/Robert Harding)
Men, called ‘Gilles’ in costume amongst the carnival crowds (eye ubiquitous/Robert Harding)
A young ‘Gille’ reaches into his basket for an orange to throw to the crowd during the Carnival of Binche (Robert van Waarden/Robert Harding)
Masked men parade through the streets of Binche in this centuries-old festival (Bruno Morandi/Robert Harding)
See more images of Mardi Gras around the world here