About Viareggio Carnival

Viareggio celebrates 134 years of Carnival parades this year.

The 2007 Viareggio Carnival is a celebration of peace, love and solidarity. The stars of these spectacular shows will once again be the huge paper maché floats and puppets, which parade along the famous "Viali a mare" promenade. The parades offer a wide programme of entertainment and fun for children and adults alike. Up to 800,000 visitors will visit the town during the parade season.

The huge floats, parade on February 4th, 11th, 18th, 20th and 25th, and will include nine 1st category floats - the biggest are 20 meters high and 14 meters wide, weighing up to 40 tons each. There are two smaller 2nd category floats and two masquerades. Again this year there will be an experimental float which will stretch the boundaries of design and concept. In the smaller towns around the area you will also find smaller festivals. The parade also includes folk bands and performers from all over the world including the Isle of Wight's own Carnival Island Mas band, with a grand finale of a massive fireworks display.

The biggest floats have approximately 200 people in costume, who dance, throw confetti and candies. Inside the floats there are people who operate the weights, counter-weights and levers that animate the working structure of the floats.
The Machere floats and puppets satirise public and political figures, such as the Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and the leader of the opposition coalition, Silvio Berlusconi. There is a float that hails the Italians winning FIFA World Cup Other floats highlight social issues, like GM foods and the television generation. There are also more traditional themes of fairy-tales and heroes that cater for children’s expectations.
The programme also includes related events, a large number of music shows and cultural events. Local restaurants have special menus, and you can buy special carnival cakes and pastries There are also numerous masked balls held in the most fashionable discotheques and ballrooms.
Viareggio Carnival Foundation has established a fundraising collaboration with Telethon to collect funds for research into genetic diseases.
If you are travelling to Viareggio by train there are special discounts on the admission fee to the carnevale parades.

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Below is a list of dates and times of the parades

Sunday 4 February 2007
time 15.00
1° Corso Mascherato

Sunday 11 February 2007
time 15.00
2° Corso Mascherato

Sunday 18 February 2007
time 15.00
3° Corso Mascherato

Thursday 20 February 2007
time 17.00
4° Corso Mascherato

Sunday 25 February 2007
time 17.00
5° Corso Mascherato

Ticket Costs for attending the parades:
Normal € 13,00
Groups (25 people min) € 12,00
Children from 11 to 12 years old € 9,00
Gallery (extra entrance ticket) €. 13,00
Special rate from Rail Stations €. 11,00
Free admission for children under 11 years old
More information about tickets: Phone (0039) 0584 962568

More useful information:
Fondazione Carnevale Viareggio
Palazzo delle Muse
Piazza Mazzini,
22 c/o Palazzo delle Muse
55049
Viareggio

E-mail: FONDAZIONE CARNEVALE DI VIAREGGIO
E-mail: For general information
Phone 0039 0584 962568 - Fax 0039 0584 47077

Cittadella del Carnevale - Use this e-mail to contact the Cittadella directly about visits to the workshops and museum
E-mail: Cittadella

Public Relations office
E-mail: The Public Relations Office

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