FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW YORK, NY, NOVEMBER 25, 2013 – Widely considered one of the most popular winter events on the Rivera, the Nice carnival will celebrate its 130th anniversary with a fanfare of flowers, floats and lavish costumes, from February 14 to March 4, 2014. The year's theme will be "The King of Gastronomy," an homage to Nice's rich culinary tradition. With roots dating back to 1294, when the Count of Provence Charles d'Anjou spent the "the joyous days of Carnival" in Nice, the first modern carnival was held in 1873.
With numerous parades, the "Flower Battle" as well as a 10-mile run entitled "the Carnival Rock & Roll" on Sunday, February 15 followed by a Zumba event, the Carnival is the biggest in France and features delights for all ages. Kicking off at the “Place Massena”, the parade features eighteen floats handsomely decorated by flowers and other local adornments and animated by street performers, international musical troupes and more. Awash with colors and music, the parade welcomes over 1,000 musicians to the region. The Flower Battle is a veritable floral extravaganza with themed flower floats parading down Nice's famed sea-front staffed by extravagantly dressed women throwing out thousands of bouquets to the audience. Emphasizing the rich floral tradition of the region, numerous flower battles and parades will take place throughout the three-weeks of festivities.
