The current health crisis and the attendance that such an event generates mean that the Nice Carnival “King of Animals,” initially scheduled from February 13 to 27, is postponed to 2022.
Despite this postponement, the City of Nice has committed to supporting the activity of the Carnival participants, whose artisanal know-how is part of the city’s intangible cultural heritage. This expertise will be showcased and promoted throughout 2021, through Nice’s and the greater metropolitan area’s event programming, in a mixed format (in-person and remote). After setting up a carnival structure at Place Masséna, this weekend the same place will be adorned with mimosa flowers to honor the famous Flower Battles (1 ton of mimosa commissioned).
On the evening of February 26: The Moya cyber carnival will take place again. It brings together internet users from five continents connected via their avatars from their computers. All participate in a virtual parade on a 3D reproduction of Place Masséna, within the artist’s universe in Second Life.
On the evening of February 27: Incineration of the carnival structure
From February 20 to March 7, during the winter holidays, a communication campaign on the theme “Carnival in the Heart of the People of Nice” will set the stage for the 2022 Carnival. An exhibition presented along the Promenade des Anglais will highlight the skills of the carnival participants, recounting the history and traditions of the Nice Carnival. The people of Nice will be involved through social media with challenges encouraging them to take photos in costumes to keep the Carnival spirit alive.
Several leisure centers and AnimaNice will join the celebrations: during the February school holidays, the program will include workshops for making small floats, “big heads,” costumes, and culinary workshops (ganses).
The Nice cuisine workshop will get into the Carnival spirit by offering emblematic recipes of this festival online.
The short film “The Carnival of Martine Doytier” by Alain Amiel will be broadcast on cultivez-vous.nice.fr and social media (23 min – produced by Les Ami(e)s de Martine Doytier): The film tells the story of the Nice Carnival by exploring the spectacular painting “Carnival 1981” by this essential artist of the Nice art scene, whose major works are part of the City of Nice’s collections thanks to the Jean Ferrero donation. It serves as a prelude to a future major exhibition of objects and drawings never before shown to the public.
