The theme of the Nice Carnival 2026 will be “Long Live the Queen!” and will highlight the great female figures of history and fiction. Christian Estrosi aims to mark a turning point after decades of male dominance.
During the closing of the Nice Carnival 2025, Mayor Christian Estrosi revealed the theme for the 2026 edition: “Long Live the Queen!”. A choice that pays tribute to the great female figures of history and fiction.
After the “King of the Oceans,” it’s time for the Queen. This Saturday, March 1, on the occasion of the last parade of the Nice Carnival 2025, Christian Estrosi spoke to unveil the identity of the next monarch of the Carnival. “Carnival 2026, ‘Long Live the Queen!’. For the first time in our history, a woman will govern the Carnival,” he stated.
In a statement, he explains his desire to set the event in a dynamic of renewal. “After decades of male reign, the time has come to celebrate femininity with an ambitious and symbolic theme,” he specifies. The city of Nice will thus spotlight “the great heroines of history and fiction.”
A Tribute to Remarkable Female Figures
Christian Estrosi mentioned several names that could inspire this future edition: Olympe de Gouges, Anne Frank, Joséphine Baker, and Marie Curie. He also wanted to highlight the plight of Afghan women, “banned from all humanity.”
The tradition will be respected: the King of the Oceans will be burned this Saturday evening to mark the end of the Carnival 2025. But in 2026, a new motto will prevail in the streets of Nice: “The king is dead. Long live the Queen!”.
The Nice Carnival 2026 will be held from February 11 to March 1.