Carnival is an event intimately linked to the popular soul of Nice as well as the Mediterranean, rich with millennia of culture, understanding the relativity of the powerful. This year, the Nice sovereign, the ephemeral comic monarch, is the “King of Sport.” The 2012 edition is open to all sports: A universal and unifying theme, at the heart of the parades, a tribute to all the competitions of this year.
An echo to Nice’s sporting dynamics but above all to the current events of London, the capital of the 2012 Summer Olympics. Moreover, Great Britain will be the guest of honor for this 128th edition.
Indeed, with the most important sporting event in the world taking place in London, it was legitimate to reserve this honor, as numerous athletes from the Côte d’Azur will participate.
This Carnival also highlights the historical ties with Nice. Initiators of tourism, the English chose Nice as one of the first destinations as early as the 19th century.
Key figures:
In 2011: With an attendance estimated at over one million people (more than 184,140 tickets sold in 2011/ + 10% compared to 2010) and total revenue of approximately €2,338,400, the overall economic impact is estimated between €30 and €35 million for an overall budget of around €6.8 million.
In 2012: 16,000 grandstand seats, 4 carnival parades, and 5 illuminated parades (1 more than last year), 6 video screens, 66 street art and music troupes, 14 shows.
– Neighborhood carnivals, more than 30, (under the initiative of Annie Sidro), a true popular jubilation.
– Street Arts: A fantastic symphony of street art troupes, fanfares, colors, lights, good humor, special effects, and extraordinary costumes. The famous brigade of stand agitators, with 60 acrobatic dancers.
– The incineration of the King followed by the fireworks, on Sunday, March 4, starting at 9 pm.
