Nice Carnival, France （法國尼斯狂歡節(jié)）

Nice Carnival, France

Location: Nice, France            

Time: February-March for two weeks

The Nice Carnival is one of the world's three major carnival events, alongside the Carnival of Rio de Janeiro and Carnival of Venice. It is held annually in February in Nice on the French Riviera.

The earliest records of Nice Carnival can be traced back to 1294 when the Count of Provence, Charles Anjou, spent "the joyous days of carnival." Today, the two-week period of celebration from the end of February to March attracts about 1.2 million visitors every year.

At the time of carnival, the whole city of Nice turns into a venue of the huge party, with parades in the daytime and evening and bonfire and fireworks in the final evening. People dressed in grotesque and fabulous costumes, headwear and make-up enjoy the merriment from the parade, music, dance, delicacies and wine. Pretty girls standing on the colorful floats throw flowers to the spectators, which is a special feature of the carnival.

To better combine tradition with fashion, every year's carnival since the 1950s has had its own theme. Circus, clown, delicacies, merry, crazy, love, millennium have all been past concepts.