Not many people know that the Carnival of Viareggio is the third most famous in the world after Rio de Janeiro and Venice. With the first one it has in common the great participation of people to the spirit of parades and night folkloristic feasts; with the second it shares the artistic refinement of its paper-machè masterpieces which are admired as true works of arts such as the luxurious masquerades in Venice.
To the people of Viareggio, the Carnival is not just a world famous event, but a “mood”, an emotional state which invades everyone hearts and minds from youngs to adults for about one month before Lent. People participate in the Carnival feeling as if “confetti flawed in her/his veins”. Nobody will care if your still have some sparkling gel on your face or a glimpse of hair colour is yet visible on Monday morning…nobody will care if you are a bit tiered-looking after a Carnival party at “Rione Darsena”[1] because he/she was probably there too!
