17 February - Saturday
Carnival in Nice
Nice in February is filled with carnival. The carnival in Nice (Carnaval De Nice) is one of the three largest and oldest in the world. The birth of the carnival is attributed to 1294, when the Duke of Anjou came here to spend some pleasant days. Began different balls, fireworks, mimes and other obscenities, all this, like a fire, swept the whole city, dancing artisans, frightened masks by fishermen. Today the carnival lasts two weeks. On the first day of the celebration, participants and spectators greet His Majesty the Carnival, and in the evening they choose the Queen of the feast. In the evening, Massena lights up. In peaceful days it's just a beautiful square with a fountain and a garden. In the days of carnival battles, a whole prefab stadium is built on it, the houses are dressed in 120 thousand square meters of plywood, which is painted by 120 artists. Painting is fun, with hiccups and jokes, why hair grows from the painting.
Then all this joyous horror is decorated with 150 thousand bulbs that wink and blaze in the night sky. Some kind of fiery wheels are spinning, creeping sinister hellfires are creeping in, the people briskly buy up balloons and sprinkle each other in the face. From the cans, long colored pasta is bursting at will, hardening on the fly and clinging to all the oncoming ones - mouths, noses, carnival horned hats and eyes. Carnival is a beautiful floral battle. Floral processions are real parades of about 20 platforms, decorated with fresh flowers. 4000-5000 stems are needed to cover these platforms, 7 meters long, 2 meters wide and 6 meters high. Their design and preparation is a long and painstaking work with every flower individually placed in a magnificent fragrant mosaic. To each event florists perform feats of imagination, taste, agility and speed.
Charming live models, men and women, in sumptuous suits and extravagant headdresses created for this occasion, gracefully throw thousands of flowers into the crowd during a walk along the Promenade des Anglais. Every year a new name for His Majesty the Carnival is chosen, reflecting the theme of the holiday and the source of inspiration for the compositions. Every day, along the streets of the city, colorful carriages with giant papier-mache dolls ride. These dolls, the main characters of Carnival, weigh up to 2 tons and tower above the wagons by 8-12 meters. Tuples decorated with thousands of fresh bouquets, participate in an elegant show - "Battle of Flowers". In the evenings a cheerful holiday continues with concerts and fireworks.
Festival of lemons in Menton
The festival of lemons in the town of Menton (Menton Lemon Festival) on the French Riviera is a holiday that attracts hundreds of thousands of visitors. It takes place annually in late February - early March and lasts just over two weeks. Lemons from Menton, of course, are kings among lemons: the warm climate of the French Riviera allows to grow them all the year round. Three lemons are harvested, the biggest harvest is in March-April. The festival was conceived as preparation for the richest harvest season in Menton. To prepare this holiday, 130 tons (!) Of delicious citrus fruits are used.
Menton is decorated with the most incredible figures from lemons, oranges, grapefruits. For several days, orange locks, fabulous characters from lemons and huge edible trees grow here! Along the coast there is a parade of tuples of golden fruits adorned with citrus fruits and flowers. All comers are invited to taste new varieties of lemons, drinks and sweets, prepared from the "yellow king of the holiday." Every year this luxurious and "delicious" show is visited by 200 to 230 thousand tourists.
Day of spontaneous manifestation of kindness
Day of Russian student detachments
1852 The Hermitage was opened to the public
1947 American radio station "Voice of America" began broadcasting in Russian