The topic of this paper is the carnival customs then and now. Reasearch was conducted about history of the carnival and carnival customs, their significance in the past and today, and how they can influence the conservation of the carnival customs in the future. The history of carnival customs includes magical and religious elements and they represent the period between winter and spring. Very often carnival events in Croatia are connected to Christian holidays, so the time of their holding is also connected. The beginning of carnival customs is not the same for all parts of Croatia, as well as the carnival characters that appear during their duration. The most famous characters are Zvončari from Kastavština area and Buše from Baranja. Other well-known accompanying carnival characters are listed along with them, and their origin and significance throught history is explained. The most famous carnivals around the world and in Croatia, and the links between them, were also investigated. One of the integral parts of any carnival event is the carnival food, which differs depending on the part of the world that is being talked about. Various carnival dishes, their ingridients and the places where they are most often served were investigated. Benefits of carnival customs are looked at from pedagogical point of view, and the importance of ther implementation in the future. Research was conducted on the maintenance of carnival customs in educational institutions and an analysis of that research was done.