Its colorful papier-mâché floats parade every year along the Promenade, portraying contemporaneity through enormous constructions with a strongly allegorical imprint.

These "giants" of papier-mâché are made by the masters of Viareggio during the entire year, through an art that is handed down from generation to generation. Carnival has become an authentic tradition in Viareggio, an artistic and cultural heritage that has its roots in the late nineteenth century.

The origin of the event

The first parade of decorated carriages in the city's heart dates back to 1873. However, the tradition of working with papier-mâché spread only later, in the 1920s.

The idea blossomed in the mind of a group of well-off young people, who had gathered around the tables of the Casino café on Mardi Gras. The intention was to bring to Viareggio the classic Carnival parade, a tradition that was already widespread in Tuscany and in the most significant Italian cities.

Thus, the first triumphal floats built with wood, scagliola, and jute were born at the end of the century. These were modeled by local sculptors and then set up by carpenters and blacksmiths employed in the shipyards of Viareggio's dock.

However, the highlight of the Carnival's history, which marked a decisive change, was the transfer of the parade from the Via Regia to the seafront. This greatly stimulated the imagination and creativity of the Carnival masters, who increasingly refined their workmanship.

In 1925 the painter Antonio D'Arliano invented the technique of the paper cast, which is based on the use of inferior materials such as newspaper and glue made with water and flour. Thanks to this technique, it is still possible today to create gigantic - but light - constructions, which remain standing throughout the parade.

In 1930 Uberto Bonetti - a local futurist painter - designed the figure of Burlamacco, the official mask of the Carnival.

The Carnival today

Still today, the protagonists of the Carnival are the papier-mâché giants made by Viareggio's masters during most of the year, as tradition dictates.

Among the iconographies of the floats, we always find characters of public interest, famous faces of Italian and international politics, and representations of contemporary society's hot topics.

For those who wish to learn more about the Carnival, we recommend visiting the Citadel, an entire center dedicated to this event. Here, you'll learn more about what happens behind the scenes and how people from Viareggio prepare for the big parade every year.