I am pleased that I arrived in Italy in time to see the last parade at Carnevale Viareggio. I have been several times now and I love it. The photos below don’t really give an idea of what it is like to be there.
The crowds are huge and swarm all over the road where the floats travel. It is absolute chaos…in a fun way. Anywhere else there would be barricades to keep people back from these huge floats, but not Italy. There are people pushing babies in strollers wandering beneath the floats with giant moving parts, whole families standing in front of a monolith moving slowly towards them.
The music is so loud it thumps in your chest and there is so much going on you really need to go more than once. There are hundreds of people in fantastic costumes dancing in front of the floats and performances happening on the floats…an amazing spectacle.
The floats feature political satire and social comment. Some are easy to understand and others not. Donald Trump is an obvious choice and so easy to ridicule. There were 2 Donald floats this year.
Frida Kahlo representing Freedom and Tolerance.
Locked up…are we all in chains?
Please help!
Some participants are on a much smaller scale, but no less impressive.
Our obsession with selfies and the beautiful people on the red carpet.
Turning into butterflies.
I’m not sure what this one means.
Knights on horseback.
Salvador Dali and friends.
Ulysses and the siren…beware of bewitching sirens.
The last Snow White.
The beast.
My favourite…High Tide, a huge whale covered in plastic.
It took 2 hours for the floats to do the circuit. It is an incredible spectacle…go if you can.
A word of caution. My wallet was stolen from my zipped handbag which didn’t leave my arm. The number of thefts made the news. If you go take nothing with you!
your photographs are simply fantastic! Thank you for making me feel I was right there!
Viva Italia!
By: Sondra on March 8, 2019
at 7:56 pm
It is great fun to be there.
By: Debra Kolkka on March 8, 2019
at 9:08 pm
A spectacular event. Who funds it Debra? Who builds the floats.
By: Christine Collins on March 8, 2019
at 8:36 pm
Some of the money would come from ticket sales. It costs €20 to get in and there are thousands of people there each day. I don’t know where other funding comes from. They are built in Viarregio in a designated area, which you can visit. I’m sure next year’s floats are well underway right now.
By: Debra Kolkka on March 8, 2019
at 9:10 pm
So obvious that Trump’s presence made 2019 Carnevale the bigger and best ever!
By: aFrankAngle on March 8, 2019
at 8:47 pm
He has been featured a few times. He is easy to make fun of.
By: Debra Kolkka on March 8, 2019
at 9:10 pm
Too easy! … Then again, he brings it upon himself.
By: aFrankAngle on March 8, 2019
at 9:23 pm
Looked fabulous – bummer about your wallet
By: Elizabeth Litzow on March 8, 2019
at 8:54 pm
Yes, it is all sorted now except my driver’s licence.
By: Debra Kolkka on March 8, 2019
at 9:11 pm
Wow! The size, the complexity, the cleverness of the floats is amazing! Great photos, Debra…. so annoying about your wallet though!
By: Pauline on March 8, 2019
at 9:12 pm
I was conscious of the crowds and thought I was OK with a zipped bag, but I will be better prepared next time. I will take almost nothing and it will be well hidden.
By: Debra Kolkka on March 8, 2019
at 9:23 pm
Fantastic Debra
Thank you so much for sharing. Amazing floats must take all year to make them!
Many thanks
Christine
By: Christine Crawford on March 8, 2019
at 10:05 pm
I’m sure work is well underway for next year.
By: Debra Kolkka on March 9, 2019
at 5:58 am
I always look forward to your post on the Carnevale! And the Trump effigy is slightly flattering considering what he looks like haha.
By: Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella on March 8, 2019
at 10:57 pm
He could have looked much worse!
By: Debra Kolkka on March 9, 2019
at 5:59 am
Fabulous ! Thank you for sharing.
By: Mulino Dominillo on March 8, 2019
at 11:18 pm
It is a fantastic event
By: Debra Kolkka on March 9, 2019
at 5:59 am
Wow, what a fantastic event. I didn’t realize that Viareggio had such a spectacular Carnavale. So extraordinarily creative. And I love the ridicule of our so-called president. I am still hoping that someday I can come and spend time at Casa Debbio. Hope to see you soon!!
By: Derin Gemignani on March 8, 2019
at 11:32 pm
It is considered one of the most impressive in Italy and Europe. It was begun in 1873. Casa Debbio is waiting for you.
By: Debra Kolkka on March 9, 2019
at 6:03 am
Absolutely amazing…the size of the characters on the floats look very large. Hope you get your licence sorted without too much drama.
By: Kerry & Jim on March 8, 2019
at 11:58 pm
The Carabinieri have been great. I’m really hoping the wallet will be returned without the money.
By: Debra Kolkka on March 9, 2019
at 6:04 am
It looks like an amazing event. Great photos!!! Thank you very much for this very interesting blog post. Indeed some figures are easy to understand, others are not. People who made them have great imagination and certainly dedicated to it a lot of their time.
By: creativeartphoto on March 9, 2019
at 5:56 pm
I love this event and find the creativity and talent incredible.
By: Debra Kolkka on March 9, 2019
at 6:11 pm
Great atmosphere and definitely a must see at Carnevale time.
Your onderful photos capture the parade very well.
Sorry about your wallet! Even for experienced travellers, it amazes me how they manage to do it. Same thing happened to me in Venice, after 12 years of travels in Italy, with my zipped bag tightly held under my arm.
By: Anne Of Todi on March 11, 2019
at 3:58 am
I was very careful to keep my bag zipped and close but they were too good for me. Next time I will go with just some money in my bra.
By: Debra Kolkka on March 11, 2019
at 4:48 am
[…] https://bagnidilucca.wordpress.com/2019/03/08/carnevale-viareggio-2019/ […]
By: Faces at Carnevale Viareggio 2019 | Bella Bagni di Lucca on March 14, 2019
at 8:05 am
Well I enjoyed reading your blog until today. To say Donald trump is “easy to ridicule” was wrong and you should have never gone “political”. My husband and I just bought a house in Bagni area. We began looking to move out of America due to the president BEFORE President Trump. We love our current president and it was very presumptuous of you to believe all your readers would support your comment and are so close minded.
Please remove me from your blog
By: Angela Whitaker on March 14, 2019
at 12:26 pm
As far as political comment goes, mine was mild. You may love your president, but most of the world thinks Trump is unfit for the job. Please don’t go to Carnevale if you don’t want to be offended. I hope you have been able to unsubscribe from my blog.
By: Debra Kolkka on March 14, 2019
at 2:17 pm
There has always been a political take-off in Viareggio’s carnival especially with Italian politicians. It’s all part of the fun andvus a good way if letting off steam. I am sorry that some people think Trump is so great. I agree with Debra (and the majority) and believe Trump is an utter embarassment and a potential danger to the world – qualities beautifully pointed out in the virtuoso float of him.
By: Francis on March 15, 2019
at 3:03 am
You like that bloated pussy grabbing failed reality tv star but you moved to a place with major gun control and socialized healthcare? I think you may be a little confused. Curious as to why you chose to come to a country filled with filthy Socialists. (Full disclosure: Escaped American here so I have every right to chime in).
By: knucklehead13 on March 15, 2019
at 7:22 am
What a spectacular Carnavale and your photos are amazing…you must have been right in front of them. I’m so sorry that even with great care that your wallet was stolen.
By: Karen on March 19, 2019
at 4:46 pm
I was on the road in front of the floats. I love this festival. I will go back and I will leave my wallet at home.
By: Debra Kolkka on March 19, 2019
at 6:08 pm