NICE CARNIVAL. Thanks to the easing of health restrictions, meet from February 11 to 27, 2022 for the 149th edition of the Nice Carnival on the theme of the “King of the Animals”, with many new features on the program.
[Mis à jour le 2 février 2022 à 18h28] “From February 11 to 27, 2022, Nice finds its Carnival, the King of Animals ! After 18 months of unprecedented crisis for our country, the time has finally come to come together again around one of the most beautiful festivals in the world and to celebrate one of the most beautiful events in our Nice heritage. Mayor of Nice Christian Estrosi in a press release dated October 8, 2021.
Gthanks to the relaxation of health restrictions linked to Covid-19, as well as the end of the gauges, the carnival will be able to accommodate more people than last year. “We will be able to ensure that 7,000 people participate standing in this show and this popular festival in addition to the 5,000 people seated,” said Anthony Borre, first deputy mayor of Nice, to France Info.
The program will be more than enticing, with the mayor announcing “even more shows, music, troupes, parties and surprises”. During the Carnival of Nice, the city of Nice is transformed, the King, the Queen and their subjects put on their most beautiful costumes to parade. Nearly 150 pieces including some traditional big heads parade on floats.
Christian Estrosi announces new products for 2022, including theelection of Counts and Countesses, a foreign carnival (“because the Nice Carnival attracts 200,000 visitors each year, 18% of whom are foreign tourists”, underlines the mayor), the traditional illuminated parades which start earlier in the evening and additional stands on avenue de Verdun… Discover the program and the new features of the Nice Carnival 2022 below:
- A opening ceremony free for the people of Nice and lasting one hour, will take place on Friday February 11, 2022 at 6.30 p.m. on Place Masséna. “King, Queen, Carnival, floats with flowers, Carnival Herald from the city’s districts, flag bearers, musical troupes, dancers, foreign guests… all the Carnival players will be gathered to present themselves to the public!” described the mayor of Nice in a press release dated October 8, 2021.
- In partnership with Kiss International Productions, the Carnival of Nice organizes “the election of Counts and Countesses of the six territories of Nice who, once elected, will participate in the final election of the King and Queen of the Carnival of Nice 2022 on February 7th. An original and innovative way to enhance the neighborhoods and heritage of Nice”.
- This year 2022, a Carnival Village, installed around the Bandstand of the Jardin Albert 1er, will allow the people of Nice to find daily and free entertainment, gourmet stands, conferences and shows as well as the ticket office. “On the stage of the Théâtre de Verdure, events and shows for young and old will be programmed. Like what is organized in the world of cinema, Carnival masterclasses will give the public the opportunity to learn more about Carnivals and to discover history and behind the scenes”, announces the mayor of Nice.
- Before each outing, the public will be able to enjoy theCorso exhibition (tanks) near Place Masséna.
- For the first time, the Nice Carnival welcomes a foreign Carnival. the Belgian Carnival “Les Gilles de la Louvière” will be the guest of honor of the 2022 edition with a large troupe “which will perform in Nice with its huge hats, its colorful costumes, its music, its clogs and bells”.
- A closing ceremony will be held on Sunday February 27, 2022 for the cremation of the King. “This year, we want to make this cremation a real spectacle. The cremation will be an opportunity to end this carnival with a great popular and free festival”.
Each year, the Nice Carnival takes place for two weeks, and includes three full weekends in February. Some years, the festivities can nevertheless continue some years on the first days of March. The Nice Carnival takes place from Friday 11 to Sunday 27 February 2022. Each year, the carnival has a title which determines the imposed theme. The title of the Nice carnival for the year 2022 is the King of Animals.
What is the Nice Carnival like?
The Nice Carnival has several highlights, starting with the arrival of the king who collects the keys to the city on the Place Massena. This arrival marks the beginning of the festivities. Another highlight is of course the carnival corso with its parade of floats, emblems of the event, which punctuate the days and evenings. Another moment not to be missed is of course the famous Battle of Flowers during which participants can send flowers to each other in a joyful battle. At the same time, about twenty groups of artists, musicians, professionals or amateurs, impose rhythm and colors on each Corso Carnivale and Bataille de Fleurs. Finally, the election of the Queen of the Carnival of Nice is done among the mannequins of the Battle of Flowers.
The carnival offers two distinct events: the Carnival Parade, day and night, and the flower fight, another side of Carnival, more poetic. The course of these two events takes place in the totally secure enclosure of the Paillon walk (place Masséna, boulevard Jean Jaurès, avenue Félix Faure and crosses Flandres-Dunkerque) and the stands are located on the Place Masséna and all along Avenue de Verdun, another novelty this year. “A more family and quiet atmosphere than in the stands at Place Masséna, but just as festive!”, announces the mayor of Nice.
- During the Carnival Parade, allegorical and burlesque floats 12 meters long by 3 meters wide, and 8 to 17 meters high invest the Place Massena for 90 minutes, accompanied by international music groups and street art. The 3 leading chariots are the King, the Queen and the Carnival, their son. During the day, the carnival corso takes place at 2:30 p.m.. The illuminated carnival parades now start at 8 p.m. for a period of 90 minutes.
- During the flower battle, a procession of 16 floats, each carrying 3,000 stems of flowers and a total of 20 tons of mimosas, is surrounded by pretty women who throw the flowers towards the public on Place Masséna. Flower battles usually take place on Wednesday and Saturday. This year 2022, aA large green and flowery promenade will be set up in the middle of Place Masséna (the NissaDrome) and all the flower floats will participate in the Grand Corso on Saturday evening February 12.
- flower fight : 26 euros (seats) / 12 euros (zone B)
- Carnival Parade : 21 euros (seats) / 12 euros (zone A) / 5 euros (zone B)
- Illuminated carnival parade : 26 euros (seats) / 12 euros (zone A) / 5 euros (zone B)
- Package for two shows (except Saturday) : €40 in the grandstand per adult (Carnival parade or Illuminated Carnival parade + Battle of Flowers).
- For kids, L’access to the Battle of Flowers is organized as follows: from 0 to 5 years old, free in the promenade (zone B) and in the grandstand on the parents’ knees; from 6 to 10 years old, €10 in the grandstand, €5 in the Promenoir (zone B)
- For kids, L’access to Corso Carnavalesque and Corso Illuminé is organized as follows: from 0 to 5 years old, free in the promenade (zone A) and in the grandstand on the parents’ knees; from 6 to 10 years old, €10 in the grandstand, €5 in the Promenade (zone B) and from 0 to 10 years old, free in the promenade (zone B).
- For people in disguise to Carnival Corso and illuminated Carnival Corso : free in promenades (zones A and B)
- For the disabled, L’access to the Battle of Flowers, the Corso Carnavalesque and the illuminated Corso Carnavalesque is organized as follows: €11 in the grandstand and free in the walkways (zones A and B)
Each year, the Nice carnival is organized around an imposed theme. The theme of the 2022 carnival is the King of Beasts, and the costumes must therefore correspond to the imposed theme. Confusing costumes (religious, military or offensive) are prohibited. People in full disguise will be able to enter the Carnival Corso and the illuminated Carnival Corso in the walkways free of charge.
The costumes for the parades are created in an ephemeral workshop dedicated to the Carnival by costume designers from the entertainment world who juggle with original fabrics and materials, giving free rein to the imagination. It is of course possible to access the carnival as a simple participant, by even making your own carnival costume. Many disguises in animals, fruits, vegetables, plants are observed each year during the carnival of Nice. Extravagance and aesthetic beauty remain the hallmarks of revelers.
The Carnival of Nice attracts nearly 200,000 people and to protect this major event, “one of the most beautiful banners of tourism” according to the prefect, the city of Nice mobilizes many private agents, municipal police officers, gendarmes and a fifty CCTV cameras since the attack that hit the Promenade des Anglais. The route of the famous parade around Place Masséna is now completely cordoned off and all floats are subject to recurring mine clearance tests. Finally, theacknowledgment of an entry ticket is mandatory to pass the checkpoints 36 security gates.
For security reasons, blunt, sharp or pointed objects, even dummy weapons, fireworks, firecrackers, sparklers, glass or metal containers (cans, glass bottles and all metal bombs , sprays, including Carnival serpentine wire bombs), suitcases, shopping bags and other bags and luggage, as well as motorcycle helmets, are prohibited.
- To come to the Nice Carnival, it is advisable to leave your car in a Parcazur car park and take the tram to get to the city center. More informations.
- Follow the Nice Carnival live on Facebook, Twitter, Youtube Where instagram.
As the Venice Carnival, that of Nice has a long history since it already existed at the end of the 13th century. Having become a veritable popular festival in the 14th and 15th centuries, the Nice carnival took the form of grand balls and parades in the old town. While in 1871, the episode of the Commune worried the aristocracy and the big bourgeoisie, almost everywhere in France, the city of Nice tried to carry out a promotional campaign in order to bring wealthy visitors to it. It was then that was created in 1873 a festival committee which took charge of the organization of the carnival of Nice to make it a real spectacle. Very quickly, the symbol of the carnival becomes Sa Majesté Carnaval, a giant puppet. Three years later, in 1876, the Batailles de Fleurs were created by Andriot Saëtone on the Promenade des Anglais. Originally simple exchanges of flowers, they have become the poetic and elegant side of Carnival. As for Her Majesty Carnival, each year she becomes the master of the city during the two weeks of winter festivities, making this event one of the most famous carnivals in the world along with that of Venice and Rio.