by Alessandra Cardone
VIAREGGIO, Italy, Feb. 26 (Xinhua) -- The over century-old annual Viareggio Carnival is being celebrated here with spectacular floats and masquerades, which are hilighted not only with traditional allegories, but also political satire against current world issues and incumbent politicians, including U.S. President Donald Trump.
Altogether 13 floats, including nine giant first-class ones, and group and individual masquerades are attending the carnival, which is in its 144th edition since the first was held in 1873.
The carnival annually held in the Tuscan city of Viareggio is the most spectacular carnival in Italy, and among the most renowned carnivals in Europe.
But what made Viareggio Carnival outstanding against other carnival celebrations around the world is that the sharp political satire, often linked to contemporary issues such as immigration, politics, bureaucracy, racism, global warming and so on.
One float appearing in this year's carnival parade depicting U.S. President Trump's hair shaped as a huge wave and surfed by the Statue of Liberty has attracted attention of many media.
And other current Italian and world issues, such as migration and economy, have also been the themes of the carnival floats.
"I wanted my float to represent Italy this year, and I imagined it as an old heiress," Jacopo Allegrucci told Xinhua.
"Despite her age, she is still attractive, and is surrounded by all her lovers and treasures. Yet, there are also many opportunists around her, who try to spoil her from all beauty and wealth," he added.
A first-class float could be 20 meters high, and took three to four months to design, and over six months to build.
The main raw material of the carnival floats is papier-mache, which could be turned to various shapes and big dolls.
Regardless of the subjects or issues depicted, however, every participant performed with humor, creativity, and colors, and people enjoyed it.
"Curiosity brought us here, and also my desire to rediscover things that I had seen as a child," a female spectator from the small town of Chiavari in the Liguria region told Xinhua.
"It is always a beautiful show, and I particularly liked the float depicting (U.S. President) Trump, and the other one representing bureaucracy," she added.
Funded by the municipality, the regional government, and private sponsors, this year's budget for the carnival amounted to 4 million euros (4.2 million U.S. dollars), officers from the organization told Xinhua.
It has always proved a successful initiative for the Tuscan city, and subscriptions this year reached a record high of 26,000, to which daily tickets added.
Overall, the event draws an average 600,000 spectators to each parade, and generates an estimated 20 million euros (21.1 million U.S. dollars) income, according to regional authorities.
