It's an incredible Carnival
Fun and engaging events and initiatives that, in collaboration with the Viareggio Carnival, will bring the spirit of celebration and lightness to Lucca.
The parade of masks on the Walls and in the squares of Lucca
Sunday 23 February, starting at 15:00 the Great Masks Parade on the Walls of Lucca. Closing the parade will be an all-Lucca float created by the famous carrista Luca Bertozzi: the panther, symbol of the city of Lucca.
The route of the masked groups, with hundreds of participants, miniature floats, the musical corps of the Banda Bassotti of Nozzano and the Philharmonic of Marlia and Villa Basilica, the company Sbandieratori e Musici città di Lucca and many other surprises.
The parade starts from Porta Sant'Anna and continues along the curtain wall to the Caffè delle Mura where a maxi screen will show images of the Viareggio Carnival floats of the 2025 edition. It then descends into Piazza San Michele, where there will be a spectacular performance by the masked groups with dancing, themed choreography and masquerades of the first category floats ‘il trenino’ and ‘in equilibrio sopra la folla’ by Giampiero Ghiselli and Maria Chiara Franceschini and ‘il pranzo è servito. As long as there is war there is hope' by Edoardo Ceragioli..
But it doesn't start here, in fact, in the days leading up to it will be...
in the squares the large papier-mâché works of the Viareggio masters.
From 8 February, the great Carnival masks arrive in the squares of Lucca.
In 2025, under the loggia of Palazzo Pretorio, the Gorilla made by the Cinquini brothers takes the place of the tiger. The float that paraded on the seaside boulevards of Viareggio will be one of the great masks of the Carnival of Lucca and is already one of the most mammoth representations in the history of Carnival.
In the squares of Lucca comes The Skull Parade. Il tempo della vanità (The time of vanity), a project born from an exchange between the Cittadella del Carnevale in VIareggio and Mexico City, where the famous ‘Dia de los Muertos’ (All Saints' Day) is celebrated, a large and lively parade that links the cult of the dead to that of life in its freest and most energetic form. Some of the twenty skulls made by international artists, including the Citadellas' aritigians, interpret the archetype of Mexican culture. Look for them in Piazza Anfiteatro, Piazza Santa Maria, Via Vittorio Veneto, Piazza Antelminelli, Piazza San Salvatore, Porta San Gervasio, Piazzale Verdi
The Shamans of Maestro Michele Canova return to Piazza del Giglio. To chase away sadness and summon joy, one only has to turn to the shamans. The construction is a three-dimensional tale of the knowledge, beliefs, and magical ritual practices of traditions from Siberia to Central Asia. Through the mask, the shaman is transformed and enters higher, inner worlds. The drum, on the other hand, summons positive spirits and drives away evil ones. Mysterious subjects, chosen by master Canova for the Viareggio Carnival of 2023 for the imperturbability of their nature and essence, combined, however, with the fundamental function they held in ancient tribes, namely the control of spirits.
A fascinating and mysterious work, a papier-mâché masterpiece that for the entire month of February will preside over the square in front of Lucca's Teatro del Giglio Puccini, an encounter between contemporary art and great history.
But that's not all! For the parade on the 23rd, another fair will descend between the Walls, the 4-metre high and 5-metre long panther inspired by the city's coat of arms that will move between the squares of the historic centre.
Merry Bacchanade and laser show.
And a concert.
16 February
6:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. - Piazzale Vittorio Emanuele II in front of the Caffè delle Mura - Laser Light Show a great show with music and special volumetric effects, multicoloured light cones and planes, 3D three-dimensional effects, and graphic animations synchronised in a spectacular choreography where the public is enveloped and immersed in the representations that fascinate spectators of all ages.
22 February
from 10 p.m. in Piazza Anfiteatro, there is the traditional Carnival concert The concert opens with the Total Black Band, a Tuscan music band with a modern and up-to-date style and a repertoire of the most popular Italian and international songs, followed by a big name of 80s pop music: Ivana Spagna, for the first time in Lucca with a concert of her greatest hits. Followed by more music with DJ Marco Lazzaroni and Franco Bldaccini.
from 21:00 Allegra Baccanata!
in corso Garibaldi at caffè Monica and Old City will alternate in haevy rotation SaveDJ/DJ Saverio Coturri, and Riccavoice, alias Riccardo Francionisinisi, DJ Maffei and Mr Joe DJ;
in piazza Antelminelli at café 11.11 the Guerrieri della Notte with an 80s selection
For children and youngsters there will be confetti and games in the square
...fire-eaters, stilt-walkers, streamers and entertainment accompanied by traditional Carnival sweets prepared and distributed by FIPE confectioners.
on 15 and 22 February and 1 March at 2.30 p.m. Carnival party for children in Piazza San Michele with fire-eaters, stilt-walkers, streamers and animation.
A Masquerade Ball and a Grand Carnival Party
on 1 March
from 8 p.m. at Villa Bottini - Masks on the dance floor with DJ Egy and Mara and the participation of the Società di Danza - Lucca circle.A party as Carnival commands with rich prizes and cotillions. Those who do not have a mask can hire one from Sartoria Teatrale Brunier - tel. 328 7535248
admission € 20.00
advance sale: Laboratorio Bruinier 329 6920767 - info@laboratoriobrunier.it
8 March
San Romano Auditorium - Vienna Strauss family waltzes, marches and polkas for the Grand Carnival Vigil accompanied by the Lucca Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Maestro Andrea Colombini.
admission € 30.00
info and reservations: 39 340 8106 042 - segreteria@puccinielasualucca.com
For all the CarnevalFratta, the historic Carnival of Lucca
The event that combines art and spectacle, food and conviviality, families and young people, displays and masks.
Sunday 2 March from 3 p.m. to evening, the CarnevalFratta returns to Piazza San Francesco, the famous ‘masked’ event that has animated the ‘Bastardo’ district, the ‘Fratta’ area and the ‘Borghi di Levante’ since the end of the 1970s and soon became the Carnival of Lucca, a cultural and artistic moment of great appeal, in the square and in the city throughout the year with workshops for masks and the creation of floats. In the 1990s, 60 Punchinellos arrived from Avellino. All that remains is to see what 2025 holds in store for us!
The Hosts of Piazza San Francesco, the Comitato Popolare San Francesco and the cultural and social promotion association Catecholamina Garage will participate.
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