Schoolchildren in turn celebrate the famous traditional festival of Nice.
Throughout the day on Thursday, nearly 3,000 children from first to fifth grade will dance around the maypole set up in the heart of the Cimiez Arenas garden.
It’s a great opportunity for them to come together in a festive atmosphere and thus pay tribute to their ancestors through the Niçard culture.
• 10 am -12 pm: Traditional games (piñatas, pilou…)
• 12 pm -2 pm: Picnic
• 2 pm – 3:30 pm: Dance performances and traditional songs by the children
History and Culture of Nice
Before it was held at the Cimiez Arenas and until the 1960s, the “Festin des Mai” was organized in the neighborhoods of Nice, especially in the heart of the old town. On this occasion, the streets and squares were adorned with garlands and lanterns.
Even today, in the gardens of Cimiez, the “maypole”, which represents the tree of life, a symbol of Spring, is erected to the cheers of participants and to the tune of “Nissa la Bella”, a true anthem of Nice credited to the poet Menica Rondelly, who restored the “May” festival to its former glory.
