Carnevale di Viareggio

Since the 1870’s there has been a celebration in Viareggio, a seaside town in Tuscany. This small celebration consisting of a parade of a few decorated carriages has gradually evolved into one of the most exuberant displays of Italian creativity to be seen today. In a month-long celebration the Carnevale has grown beloved to many Italians and drawn attention from a worldwide community.
During the Freshman trip to Viareggio we started the day with a short walk to the bus and the subsequent hour-long ride to the town. Upon arrival we started with a proper Italian lunch from about 11:30 am to 2:30 pm. I call it properly Italian because the length of the meal gives you plenty of time to get to know those around you and talk. Well that or be on your phone.
After a three-course meal concluding with a chocolate lava cake it was time to go out and explore Carnevale. Even walking towards the entrance, you could tell that this event was going to be much bigger than previously expected. There was a large variety of age ranges all dressed up in a wide scale of ridiculous costumes. Everything from the Joker to shows such as Money Heist could be seen represented here.
Nearing the entrance, I joined a crowd of people with tickets waiting to get through security to get in. After passing the gates, I was drawing closer to the main part of the festivities which was easy to tell. All around me were children and adults in costume, bags of confetti in hand, excitedly walking towards the floats in the distance.
Along the side of the street there were vendors selling a variety of wigs and masks for the few remaining attendants who were in normal clothing. Being one of those I was eventually convinced to buy a mask that was a cross between a plague mask and steampunk so I could finally fit in. After this purchase I continued down the walkway until I reached what seemed to be the main loitering spot for people waiting to see the floats.
This spot proved to be a good one as by the time the floats started moving the area was so packed that I felt like a sardine in a can at some points. The floats were preceded by large groups of dancers/actors in costumes performing routines related to their respective floats. This really energized the crowd in a way that only having people screaming in your face can. Plus, it helped that following them were incredibly mobile and complex floats that seemed to be impossibly tall. These included the likes of a mechanized portrayal of Ronaldo, the characters from the Wizard of Oz with Greta Thunberg, and even a bull fighting match with the roles reversed.
After watching a fair bit of the festivities some friends and I decided to head to the meeting point for our group a bit early so we could go on the beach for a little while. During this time somehow my roommates managed to find a local practicing soccer on a field on the beach and start a game with him. This proved to be a mistake for me as it turns out if you don’t play soccer for ten years you might become a bit rusty. Even so, it was a very fun way to end the trip to Viareggio.

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