Carnivals are in full swing in Italy at this time of year and bridge the gap between Christmas and Easter festivities. If you follow my blog you’ll know that I’ve written several times about this fabulous event when children and adults join together and have fun dressing up, participating in fantastic floats and, hopefully, winning the prizes for the best display. As many of you will know the word ‘Carnevale’ means ‘farewell to meat’ for the festivity is a final fling before the forty days of Lenten fasting. In the UK, pancake day (next Tuesday 25th February) is celebrated here as Martedì Grasso (mardi gras) or ‘fat Tuesday’ – the day before Ash Wednesday.
Here are just a few posts I’ve talked about ‘Il Carnevale’ in:
https://longoio2.wordpress.com/2015/02/07/its-carnival-time-again/
https://longoio3.com/2019/03/06/over-the-moon-at-fornolis-carnival/
https://longoio3.com/2018/02/14/fabulous-fun-at-fornolis-carnival/
https://longoio3.com/2018/02/02/bagni-di-luccas-three-carnival-venues/
https://longoio3.com/2018/01/29/its-carnival-time-in-viareggio/
https://longoio3.com/2019/02/17/enter-the-spirit-of-il-carnevale-at-bagni-di-lucca/
https://longoio3.com/2018/02/22/loads-of-bread-and-confetti-at-bdls-casino/
https://longoio3.com/2018/02/15/korea-in-lucca-and-lucca-in-korea/
https://longoio3.com/2018/01/30/viareggios-bubbleman/
Viareggio holds the biggest and best carnival in our part of the world. However, there are many minor carnivals held in local villages. On Sunday, for example, we attended Valdottavo’s ‘Carnevale’. The floats were brilliantly imaginative for such a small place and fun was truly had by all, especially the children of course!
(Photos courtesy of Alexandra Cipriani)
All these local carnivals are free and have an intimacy which the Viareggio event, although stupendous, doesn’t quite have.
This Sunday, starting at 2 pm, Fornoli will have its very own special carnival. Organised by Marco Nicoli’s wizardry and the local Mammalucco association its theme will be the Olympic Games. I wonder what the floats will reveal. As usual it’s going to be really difficult to decide on the winner and, as a member of the jury, it’s going to be a tough choice for me!
Be there if you can! The weather will be fine too….