Viareggio Carnivale

Sunday afternoon we spent at the Viareggio carnival.  They have 5 different parade dates over about one month time, and some nights there are also fireworks.  Tonight there are no fireworks, we would have never made it that late anyway!

The circuit for the floats is a 4 km circle, and you can walk between the floats as there are going by. We were there early enough that we walked the entire route and took pictures of the floats before they were moving.  I did not realise how animated the floats would be, it was amazing to see.  Many of the floats had dancers that were in front of them leading the float, a little hard to see because of the amount of people, but lots of loud music, lots of confetti throwing and just a good time had by all.

Admission was 18.00 Euro to get in, and this was just to get it, no seats in the bleachers.  It was another 15 Euro per person for a seat, pass we will stand.  We grabbed something to eat from one of the vendors that were set up, again we were so hungry that it tasted great.  In hindsight we should have eaten on our walk to the parade grounds, which was about 20 minutes from the train station.  The parade grounds also run parallel to a beautiful beach.

Lots of spots around the parade route were set up to get something to eat

A local treat that we have seen at all the markets we have been to.  Taste a little like waffle cones for ice cream, yummy

Confetti vendors, kids were running around with bags of this stuff to throw

Kid throwing confetti from the balcony above, like New Orleans without the beads!

Reminded us a bit of our Palm Springs trip last year

Some families went all out and everyone was dressed up

These people were on their way to their float

Wigs, masks for sale if you forgot yours at home

Even some dogs were in costume

This apartment building on the parade route dressed themselves up as hospital workers and added decorations to their building

Confetti is fun!

Trump was very popular as part of the floats

It's 3PM, the parade is starting, lots of people around.  No roped off area. You can walk in front of in the back of the floats.

That is a real person on the end of Donalds hair

Some of the floats are huge!

The carnival pagentry

She was so excited to see the polar bear.

Lots of fun on the floats, they had the whole audience singing except us, we have no idea what song it was

The kid on his moms shoulders beside us did not like this float

OK, maybe I'll peek just a bit

We didn't really understand this one, a bull, US, Chinese?