Viareggio Carnival

The 2008 Viareggio Carnival is a show with huge paper maché floats and puppets, which will parade along the famous 'viali a mare' (road besides the sea), down the sea promenades, offering a wide programme of entertainment and fun for children and adults. At least 800.000 people are awaited in Viareggio!

Viareggio is a city on the tuscan coast, only 1 hour from Florence (by car) and a little bit more by train.
The huge floats, parading on January 20th, 27Th, and February 3rd, 5th, 10th, will include nine 1st category floats - the biggest ones (20 meters high, 14 meters wide) weighing about 40 tons each - two smaller 2nd category floats and two masquerades, plus an experimental float, as well as smaller floats from the town district festivals.

Every masquerade will be composed of 8 paper maché elements (about 3 meters high). The parade will also include folkloristic bands and performers from all over the world. The biggest floats will carry about 200 people in costume, who will dance and throw confetti and candies.

The paper maché puppets satirise public and political figures, put on scene social issues, as well as the fairy-tales’ heroes. Noteworthy is the programme of related events including a large number of shows and cultural events such as fun musical comedies in vernacular, a series of carnival menus available in the restaurants of the area, festivals in the various town neighbourhoods, as well as numerous masked balls held in the most fashionable discotheques and ballrooms.

Viareggio Carnival January, 20 – 27, February 3 – 5 – 10
Inauguration January 19th.