Now that the King of the 5 Continents has finally found his Queen, it is time to showcase the special features of the 129th edition of the Nice winter event. A tradition, many innovations, but also a major asset to the local economy.
At the Carnival House, Christian Estrosi made a point of recalling the exceptional work of the float designers and costume makers. Several floats are displayed here, giving a preview before the big parade day. “In recent years, we have strived to unleash creativity and not restrain the carnival artists with size or type restrictions,” declares the Deputy Mayor.
This year, a true tour of the world in 80 minutes will be offered with more than 20 different floats, numerous musical artists, and other attractions.
New for 2013:
This year, the theme will be the King of the 5 Continents. “A Carnival faithful to its universal vocation,” according to the Mayor. And this year, His Majesty will welcome a guest of honor, the Francophonie, as the 7th games will take place in the heart of the city next September.
Another novelty, the Rock’n’roll 10 miles. An original running race where you must come with your best disguise (a prize will be awarded). This will be followed by a charity-oriented swim for the most motivated and least chilly, “I promise to sign up if by the end of this conference there are 30 signatures,” jokes Christian Estrosi.
A real economic asset:
The Nice Carnival remains a major economic element for the city. Last year, attendance had already increased by almost 5% with 192,576 tickets sold for a total income of 2.5 million euros.
Rudy Salles, the deputy for tourism, explains that “if this Carnival had a budget of 7 million euros, the total economic benefits amounted to more than 30 million euros!” It is a safe bet that this year will see the same success.
