Popular culture, sometimes abbreviated as “pop culture,” represents a form of culture characterized primarily by being produced and appreciated by the masses, as opposed to an elitist or avant-garde culture that might only appeal to a wealthy and/or educated portion of the population. However, it’s not just any popular culture, i.e., enjoyed by the masses. It is intergenerational and embraced by all.
The spirit of the Carnival is found in pop culture.
This theme allows us to celebrate the world of media, cinema, sports, video games, theater, literary works, comics, painting, music… This theme also allows us to work with the saturated and exaggerated color codes and graphics that make up the DNA of the Nice Carnival.
Discover a sneak peek of the extraordinary parade that will thrill Nice and transport spectators into a magical universe where entertainment and fantasy collide.
To discover
The floats of the Carnival Parade
King
Who hasn’t dreamt of being a hero? Hero of our childhoods rediscovered. Hero of their hearts. Hero made of fabric, foam, or papier-mâché. Our king has gathered them around him on his proud steed. He raises his laser scepter to illuminate our azure sky with a thousand multicolored hues for the weeks to come. He is the King of Pop Culture at the Nice Carnival for this 2024 edition.
Original idea and illustration by Artufel Gérard
Concept and realization by “Concept Événementiel”
Queen
Pop! Wow! And Bing, here she comes, our Queen. Emerging from the chapters of our pop art books, from our illustrated magazines, from our enchanted bubbles. She arrives forcefully to chase away our gloomy thoughts and to infuse, with her mischievous gaze, joy, colors, and sharing. Welcome her, for she is our Queen.
Original idea and illustration by Artufel Gérard
Concept and realization by “Concept Événementiel”
Carnavallon
Our Triboulet is fully embracing the carnival spirit! He’s dressed up from head to toe! He has gathered the super little heroes of our children and parades with them under a shower of confetti! Welcome, Carnivallon!
Original idea and illustration by Barnaba Orru
Concept and realization by “Nice Festivités”
Niss’art
The artists of Nice showcase themselves in this pop parade! Who better than them to testify to the richness of our Niçois creativity: it’s pop and cheerful! Long live carnival! Long live art!
Original idea by Xristian and illustration by Artufel Gérard
Design and realization by “Groupement France Festivités (lead contractor) Concept Événementiel / Nice Festivités / Carnaval Story (co-contractors)”
The Caravan
It’s honored at the Nice Carnival, the famous caravan! Today, it’s not just following, it’s parading brilliantly! For years, it has faithfully accompanied that famous bicycle race! It’s eagerly awaited every year by both young and old! In Nice, it’s cheered. And it rolls, rolls… its race against time begins, ending on March 2, 2024.
Original idea and illustration by Emilie Camatte
Design and realization by “Constructions Carnavalesques”
With the support of LCL.
The Mad Racers
In a wild race, they all seek the invincibility star! Watch out for banana peels. And for the racing cars straight out of our cult films! Who will win this satirical and whimsical rally, true to the DNA of the Nice Carnival?
Original idea and illustration by Artufel Gérard
Design and realization by “Groupement France Festivités (lead contractor) Concept Événementiel / Nice Festivités / Carnaval Story (co-contractors)”
The Influencables
« Do you practice an extreme sport? »
« Yes, sometimes I give my opinion on social media! »
Let yourself be immersed in pink and glitter, but those of the powdered sugar on our delicious bugnes! Let your screens echo with the shout: « Can’t, I’ve got Carnival! »
Original idea and illustration by Barnaba Orru
Design and realization by “Groupement France Festivités (lead contractor) Concept Événementiel / Nice Festivités / Carnaval Story (co-contractors)”
Top 50
We dance, we sing, we perform a moonwalk in Nice to the sounds of Pop Music. They couldn’t all fit on one float, but they’ll loop endlessly in the minds of teenagers recalling the diamond delicately placed on the precious black disc or emerging from your headphones.
Original idea and illustration by Garavagno Damien
Design and realization by “Groupement France Festivités (lead contractor) Concept Événementiel / Nice Festivités / Carnaval Story (co-contractors)”
Mat’risk
For this exercise, carnival-goers don’t need to rely on artificial intelligence to create these fantastic floats!
Original idea and illustration by Artufel Gérard
Design and realization by “Groupement France Festivités (lead contractor) Concept Événementiel / Nice Festivités / Carnaval Story (co-contractors)”
The Fantastic Ones
With a swift flick of his lasso, this proud rider tames his fantastic menagerie. These creatures, born from the incredible creativity of two sacred monsters of cult and popular cinema, populate our imagination, making us both cry and shudder. Come pedaling, flying, or swimming, scream, roar, or point your finger… we eagerly await you at our pop parade.
Original idea and illustration by Artufel Gérard
Design and realization by “Groupement France Festivités (lead contractor) Concept Événementiel / Nice Festivités / Carnaval Story (co-contractors)”
Platform Games
It’s a chess game played with multiple keys on a remote control or keyboard. They are our sleepless nights. They enchant us like sirens. They end and start again. They keep us on edge or leave us wanting more. Who are they? They come out of the small screen to parade before your wide-open eyes! The Popular Series!
Original idea and illustration by Artufel Gérard
Design and realization by “Groupement France Festivités (lead contractor) Concept Événementiel / Nice Festivités / Carnaval Story (co-contractors)”
Pop-tarts
No golden ticket needed to come to the Nice Carnival. Just come dressed from head to toe! And our gluttons seem to appreciate the treats of our beautiful festival. Be careful not to get devoured yourself. And you? Who is your most pop culture greedy hero?
Original idea and illustration by Barnaba Orru
Design and realization by “Groupement France Festivités (lead contractor) Concept Événementiel / Nice Festivités / Carnaval Story (co-contractors)”
Comics boarding
« After sailing the seas between Japan, France, and Belgium, the ship concludes its journey in Nice! The crew, straight out of comic book panels, consists of Marsupikachu, Lucky Shenron, the Spiroussal Titan, all guided by Luffyx the Gaulois pirate. Take a close look at every corner of the ship; passengers are hiding there, and let yourself be carried away by the spirit of adventure emanating from this wide-open comic book! »
Cyprien
Original idea and illustration by Cyprien
Design and fabrication by “France Festivités“
100% Walt
Once upon a time, there was the wonderful world of animation. Pure dream. Pop culture in its literal and figurative sense of “Popular Culture” and sharing among everyone for the benefit of young and old.
Smile! Pinch yourself, you’re not dreaming! It’s in Nice! It’s Carnival!
Original idea and illustration by Artufel Gérard
Design and realization by “Groupement France Festivités (lead contractor) Concept Événementiel / Nice Festivités / Carnaval Story (co-contractors)”
The floats of the Flower parade
14 flower parade floats will parade accompanied by their actresses to bring to life the heroines of tales, fables, and popular plays.
Queen’s float: Once Upon a Time
The princesses of these great popular tales make us dream. Their carriages, their apples, their dragons are a fairy tale legacy.
Groupement Nouvelle Vague
Donkeyskin
Around the universe of Jacques Demy.
Groupement Nouvelle Vague
Alice in Wonderland
Around the universe of Lewis Carroll.
Garden Expo
Mary Poppins
Around carousels and watercolor gardens.
Groupement Nouvelle Vague
The Little Mermaid
Around the universe of the underwater depths.
Groupement Nouvelle Vague
Little Red Riding Hood
Around forests, wicker baskets, and checkered tablecloths.
Garden Expo
The Little Match Girl
Around the magical warmth of a match.
Garden Expo
The Princess and the Pea
It only took a pea to write this tale.
Groupement Nouvelle Vague
Hansel and Gretel
Sweets and a gingerbread house hide a very terrible secret.
Garden Expo
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
3 stools, 3 bowls, 3 beds… yet they are 4!
Garden Expo
Rapunzel
This beautiful braid woven like an ear of wheat will save her.
Groupement Nouvelle Vague
The women of Molière; The learned, the precious…
Whether they are ridiculous or learned, they are most often mischievous under Molière’s pen.
Garden Expo
The balconies and their lovers
Their balconies have become their favorite theatrical stages on nights when the moon itself seizes the intrigues.
Groupement Nouvelle Vague
Around the universe of fables, The Tortoise and the Frog
They were featured on our handwriting notebooks, we often recited them by heart, then we embraced them as if it had become a necessity to not forget our beautiful popular culture.
Garden Expo
Focus on the actresses’ costumes
The costumes for the flower parade are born in a creation workshop entirely dedicated to sewing and tailoring, at the heart of the Spada Hall.
It is here that about twenty costumes are crafted to dress the young women who animate the flower parade floats. This unique workshop has a particularity: the same team works from the first pencil stroke to dressing up at the events.
All costumes are unique models designed as if for theater or cinema. For each of them, models are made in advance and respect the theme of the Carnival. The tailoring takes between 40 hours for the simplest and 200 hours for the most complex, the Queen’s costume.
Every year, new methods are experimented with, for both costumes and headdresses. Tulle, satin, lame, velvet, veil, sequins: a wide variety of materials are used. A true ephemeral art orchestrated by Caroline Roux and her team.
