Viareggio Carnival 2026: dates, tickets and floats for Tuscany’s iconic parade

One of Tuscany’s most anticipated annual events is set to return in early 2026. The Carnevale di Viareggio will run from 1 to 21 February, marking its 153rd edition with six traditional corsi mascherati (masked parades) along the city’s waterfront.

Held in Viareggio, on the northern Tuscan coast about 25 kilometres from Pisa and around 90 kilometres from Florence, the carnival is internationally known for its monumental allegorical floats. Built in papier-mâché by local workshops, the floats combine complex mechanical movement with satire on social, political and cultural themes.

The 2026 parade dates

The six parades are spread across three weeks, mixing afternoon and evening events:

• Sunday 1 February, 3 p.m. – Opening parade, followed by a fireworks display
• Saturday 7 February, 5 p.m. – Second parade (night-time)
• Thursday 12 February (Shrove Thursday), 5 p.m. – Third parade (night-time)
• Sunday 15 February, 3 p.m. – Fourth parade
• Tuesday 17 February (Shrove Tuesday), 3 p.m. – Fifth parade
• Saturday 21 February, 5 p.m. – Closing parade (night-time), award ceremony and fireworks

All parades take place along Viareggio’s seafront promenade.

The floats of Viareggio Carnival 2026

Floats remain the centrepiece of the event. For 2026, the programme includes nine first-category floats, four second-category floats, as well as eight group masquerades and eight individual masks.

First-category floats

• Nel campo dei miracoli – Jacopo Allegrucci
• La gallina dalle uova d’oro – Alessandro Avanzini
• In bocca al lupo – Luca Bertozzi
• I samurai del potere – Luigi Bonetti
• The Last Hop(e). Il cambiamento climatico è una bufala – Massimo and Alessandro Breschi
• Nemmeno con un fiore – Umberto, Stefano, Michele and Jacopo Cinquini
• Gran Casino. Rien ne va plus – Lebigre and Roger
• 999 – Carlo and Lorenzo Lombardi
• Io vivo in questo momento – Roberto Vannucci

Second-category floats

• Parità degenere – Priscilla Borri
• Native American Return – Fabrizio and Valentina Galli
• Non scendo più – Matteo Raciti
• Carnevale Futurista. Omaggio a Depero – Luciano Tomei

Tickets and practical information

Tickets for Viareggio Carnival 2026 can be purchased online or at physical ticket offices.

Ticket offices are located at the Cittadella del Carnevale (Via Santa Maria Goretti) and at the entrances to the parade circuit. Standard opening hours are:

• Monday to Thursday: 9 a.m.–1 p.m. and 3 p.m.–6 p.m.
• Friday: 9 a.m.–1 p.m. and 3 p.m.–5 p.m.
• Weekend and public holiday hours are announced separately closer to parade dates.

For information, the organisers provide dedicated phone numbers for individual and group tickets, as well as an email contact via the carnival’s official channels.

With its combination of large-scale craftsmanship, satire and popular participation, Viareggio Carnival remains one of Italy’s most distinctive winter events, drawing families, visitors and carnival enthusiasts from across Tuscany and beyond.

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