INTERNATIONAL CARNIVAL DAY
Opatija
The
famous Opatija tourist Riviera justifiably boasts of its
carnival festivities as its own unique attraction.
The festivities commence with the carnival flag rising on St.
Anthony’s Day, “Antonja” on January 17th and lasts until Ash
Wednesday when a spectacular Mesopust’s (Carnival Guy’s) funeral
pyre is set on fire in Mošćenička Draga.
The tradition is long and closely connected with the carnival society of Matulji and Lumber club members who organized carnival dances in the mid-1960s.
One
of the most representative Opatija programmes is International
Carnival Day. On this particular carnival day, a Saturday, not
only do Opatija dwellers participate, but people from all over
Croatia and Italy come to Opatija.
In the environment of a unique combination of cultivated green spaces, impressive hotels and other edifices, numerous visitors participate in the carnival parade of local and guest masked groups and individuals either driven in allegorical vehicles or marching along Opatija’s main street.
Afterwards, carnival festivities keep on going with
entertainment and surprise programmes on the main town beach
Slatina. In front of Slatina some unexpected masked vessels can
be seen sailing at sea…
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