Nice Carnival

Floats at the 2010 Nice carnival

The Nice Carnival is one of the world's major carnival events, alongside the Brazilian Carnival and Venetian Carnival. It is held annually in February in Nice on the French Riviera.

The earliest records establish its existence in 1294 when the Count of Provence, Charles Anjou, wrote that he had passed "the joyous days of carnival."[1] This may make the Nice Carnival the original carnival celebration.

In 1873, a committee was created for the Carnival, headed by local artist Alexis Mossa, with later contributions from his son Gustav-Adolf Mossa. The Carnival was reinvented into a parade,[2] adding masquerades, satirical floats and competitions.[3]

Today the event attracts over a million visitors to Nice every year. The Carnival spans a two-week period in February.

Every year, a special theme is chosen, and traditional artists create 18 floats and other figurines in traditional papier-mâché for the colorful parade. The parades take place day and night, while on the Promenade des Anglais, "flower battles" occur.

In 2017, the memorial to the 2016 Nice attack was dismantled in preparation for the carnival.[4] Additionally, the route was moved from the Promenade des Anglais to the Promenade du Paillon.[5]

References

  1. ↑ "Origins and traditions - Carnival 2017 Nice". www.nicecarnaval.com. Retrieved 2016-07-17.
  2. ↑ Caroline De Westenholz, 'Gustav Adolf Mossa (1883–1971), Lui, A Portrait of Varius' in Varian Studies Volume Three: A Varian Symposium, 2017, p.159
  3. ↑ http://besttripgallery.com/france/french-riviera-carnival/
  4. ↑ Mills, Emma (February 10, 2017). "Nice terror attack memorial dismantled ahead of carnival". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved February 11, 2017.
  5. ↑ "Nice carnival parade changes route following Bastille Day massacre". Radio France Internationale. February 10, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2017.


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