Carnevale di Viareggio

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In February each year, Viareggio launches its Carnivale di Burlamacco on the general public and the holiday makers that happen to be in town. The carnival lasts for 3 weeks and each weekend the parade of floats is seen making its way down the passigato in super-sized technicolour. The Carnival originated at the end of the 19^th Century. In those days it was fashionable to hold a Mardi Gras. Back then some locals wearing coloured masks, singing songs of revolution used the parade to protest the increase of taxes with horse drawn carts adorned with flowers; since that time the Carnival parade has taken on the occasion to mostly exorcise the dissatisfaction of the people. Usually, the topics of the floats are political satire, themes of universal relevance or the triumph of famous international celebrities, politicians and sports figures.

There is a competition held between these giant floats; one overall winner is declared and there are other categories which carry winners in each. The enormous floats are built in a designated sports ground called La Cittadella del Carnivale which houses 16 oversized hangers and a museum and where over 1000 people are kept busy all year round building the next incredible creation under the supervision of their lead visionary. The floats are about 30m tall and can weigh about 40 tonnes. The floats are made of papier-mâché and airbrushed with really fine and realistic detail. They have moving parts and are choreographed. They have supporters in costume that help bring the theme to life music tracks which blare out their particular message.

The Burlamacco – a masked mascot of the carnival since 1930 – is set up high and leads the parade together with the other symbol for Viareggio – the summer beach holiday destination – a lovely leggy old-world sunbather named Ondina (little wave).

It is common to buy bags of confetti (stelle filanti) and this unfortunately litters the roads when the excited crowds disperse from the day’s events and turns my stomach, but the kids love it and the adults are unaware of the aftermath. Revellers can also dress up and paint their faces to join in the festive mood. Wigs, masks and all sorts of colourful fun dress up gear is available to buy at the carnival.

Children love dressing up for the carnival, in one of the suburbs of the town a mini parade is held with mini floats, a street that is specially cordoned off for children’s games and entertainment. The sea and its bounty is celebrated with many food stalls selling all sorts of dishes from the ocean.

There are four main sweets that are found in all the Pasticeria’s and at stalls all along the parade route. They are Torrone which is an Italian style nougat filled with almonds and swirled through with honey. Crocanti a meringue and nut styled biscuit (crunchy and very sweet). Frittelle di riso are rice balls with currents and rum, deep fried and sugared, and a flaky pastry Cenci or Stracci ,which literally mean “rags”, due to its raggedy shape. (See recipes in the links provided)

When all is said and done, the streets go quiet, the shops take down their decorations and life goes back to being a slightly cool, slightly less noisy trundle of people, prams and dogs on leads down the passigato. However, there is always a bit of the same party feel to the weekends when all and sundry take their afternoon stroll.

The carnival is a noisy, festive, colourful, gluttonous, humorous, participative, larger than life affair. Well worth seeing if you ever find yourself in Viareggio, Italy in February.

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