Carnival parades on the French Riviera celebrate the upcoming Olympics and pop culture

Published February 18, 2024 7:57 AM

By BARBARA SURK
Associated Press

MENTON, France (AP) — As most of Europe moves into the solemn weeks before Easter, the party is just getting started on the French Rivera. The Mediterranean town of Menton showcased its lush citrus and celebrated the upcoming Olympics in Paris during its Carnival parade on Sunday. Sculptures of athletes assembled from lemons and oranges decorated the streets and rode on giant floats. Nice, the Rivera’s capital, kicked off its annual Carnival season on Saturday night with a pop culture-themed parade that featured “Star Wars” character Luke Skywalker as king and Marilyn Monroe, clad in a Superwoman costume, as his queen. Modern versions of Carnival over the past century mocked politicians and ridiculed public figures.

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