The Nice Carnival 2025 attracted 400,000 participants, marking a record attendance. The 2026 edition, themed “Long Live the Queen!”, will honor female figures from history and fiction.
This year, the municipality announced that the Nice Carnival 2025 gathered 400,000 participants. A record attendance that confirms the importance of this event for the city and its international influence.
The 2025 edition, set under the theme of the “King of the Oceans”, marked a turning point with record attendance. Christian Estrosi, mayor of Nice, praised this success: “His Majesty the King of the Oceans departed after an exceptional 2025 edition, marked by a great novelty: the Carnavalina and record attendance: 400,000 locals and visitors gathered to enjoy our famous Carnival throughout the city.”
Numerous events punctuated these festivities, such as the grand charivari of Richelmi, the waiters’ race, and the Queernaval which celebrated its tenth anniversary. The Carnival village also broke its attendance record. 140,000 visitors were recorded, an increase of 60% compared to 2024.
This year, the Carnival has been part of a broader dynamic. This includes the United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC-3) which will be held in Nice in June 2025. The goal is to structure tourism around major events while affirming Nice’s role on the world stage.
2026: A New Era for the Nice Carnival
Next year, the Carnival will evolve with a new theme: “Long Live the Queen!”. This decision marks a historic change after decades of male rule. “After decades of male rule, the time has come to celebrate femininity with an ambitious and symbolic theme. In 2026, Nice will resonate with this carnival metamorphosis, rich in strong messages and a tribute to the great heroines of history and fiction,” stated Christian Estrosi during the last corso.
The 2026 edition will take place from February 11 to March 1. It will honor remarkable female figures and promises a renewed program. With this new positioning, the Nice Carnival continues to reinvent itself while preserving its historical and festive roots.