Viareggio Carnival is 135 years old and is doubtless the most famous carnivalesque event in Italy, and one of the most important of Europe, recalling hundreds of thousand visitors from all over the world.

Viareggio Carnival was born in 1873 as a folk event, and at present can be considered as a dynamic and lively show, which attracts to itself the attention of big Italian and international medias, besides a large audience composed of people of every age and social level.

The 2008 Viareggio Carnival is a celebration in the name of peace, love and solidarity. The stars of these spectacular shows will once again be the huge paper maché floats and puppets, which will parade along the famous "viali a mare", down the sea promenades, offering a wide programme of entertainment and fun for children and adults. At least 800.000 people are awaited in Viareggio!

The huge floats, parading on January 20th, 27Th, and February 3rd, 5th, 10th, will include nine 1st category floats - the biggest ones (20 meters high, 14 meters wide) weighing about 40 tons each - two smaller 2nd category floats and two masquerades, plus an experimental float, as well as smaller floats from the town district festivals.

Every masquerade will be composed of 8 paper maché elements (about 3 meters high). The parade will also include folkloristic bands and performers from all over the world. The biggest floats will carry about 200 people in costume, who will dance and throw confetti and candies.

Other people will be inside the floats to manoeuvre the weights, the counter-weights and levers that will make the puppets move. A float will be dedicated to television channel RaiSat Smash, to Rai Tre and Radio Due Rai.

The paper maché puppets satirise public and political figures, put on scene social issues, as well as the fairy-tales’ heroes.
Noteworthy is the programme of related events including a large number of shows and cultural events such as fun musical comedies in vernacular, a series of

carnival menus available in the restaurants of the area, festivals in the various town neighbourhoods, as well as numerous masked balls held in the most fashionable discotheques and ballrooms. Among the huge programme of sporting events, the most important is the 60th International Junior Soccer Tournament Carnival Cup.

All the information: ufficiostampa@ilcarnevale.com