The northern Adriatic city of Rijeka will once again host what the Sunday Times described as ‘one of the most exotic events in the world’.
Rijeka Carnival, the city's annual event now in its 29th year will run from January 17th to February 19th, 2012.
The carnival’s main events – Queen Pageant, Children’s Carnival Parade and the International Carnival Parade – will be accompanied by concerts, exhibitions, theatre plays and parties.
The carnival festivities start with the Rijeka Carnival Queen Pageant and the handover of the town keys by the Mayor of Rijeka to the Master of the Carnival on January 20th in the Rijeka’s Youth Sports Hall.
The Children’s Carnival Parade, a carnival event in which the youngsters from Croatia and abroad take part parading in colourful masks on Rijeka’s main thoroughfare Korzo, will take place on February 11th.
The carnival will culminate during the International Carnival Parade on February 19th when the visitors will be treated to an array of some 100 floats that will fill the streets with fireworks of colours, shapes, and colourful masks.
During the festivities, the city of Rijeka is expected to host some 20,000 carnival participants and 600,000 visitors from Croatia and abroad.