Besides the traditional Carnival, however, the one we all know through having visited it or seen it at least once, the five days of masked courses, there are also the appointments dedicated to slightly more grown-up “children”: the Carnival of Viareggio’s ‘rioni’.

The six town districts organise, starting from 7.00 pm, mini carnivals animated by music, parties and everything that could happen during a Carnival. In the streets the Carnival walk-ons parade adding onto the multitude of visitors.

Whereas the promenade is the stage for papier-mâché magicians, the district carnival is the moment in which everyone can live the party. So it can happen that you meet masks studied for months with complicated garments and impeccable make-up, or the classic masks of all times or still the improvised last-minute dressing-ups which, sometimes, can have a much more ironic and original effect of the others.

The appointments in the districts start from the 25th January until the 17th February: the Varignano districts  begins, from the 25th to the 27th January; from the 25th to the 28th Torre del Lago; 1, 2 and 3 February the Marco Polo district; the 7th February Vecchia Viareggio district; from the 8th to the 12th  in Darsena and finally from the 15th to the 17th in the “zona Croce verde centro”.

District festivals start at 7.00 pm and continue until midnight and beyond. As well as jokes and masks stages are set up for guests bands and improvised musicians. Then there are dances and little refreshment corners where you can find shelter from the cold of winter nights, maybe with an excellent glass of punch or wine.

(Photo: Studio Album Fotografico - Livorno)

Read all the articles on the Viareggio Carnival

The Viareggio Carnival
"Viva il Carnevale"

January.2002

Viareggio Carnival