Its not even January and we are all FREEZING in the Queerguru Office so its time to seriously think about heading for some winter sun.    This year we are going to head to Nice on the South of France for Carnival which next runs from February 15 to March 2, 2025.   The center piece is Lou Queernaval, a nighttime LGBTQ+ party that’s like a wintertime Pride celebration for Côte d’Azur. Unlike many other Nice Carnival events, it’s free. In 2025, it’s happening on February 21.

Erwann Le Hô, coordinator of the Centre LGBTQIA+ Côte d’Azur, and one of the Organizers of  Lou Queernaval  told Queerguru “You can have a Pride anywhere. But Lou Queernaval can only be in Nice, which has a huge carnival tradition. It’s a tourist event, yes, but it’s important for the people living in Nice. The gay community in Nice has always been involved in carnival. LGBTQ+ people here have been very involved in the commercial life of Nice.  He should know as he acts as MC for the event 

When the queer event was founded in 2015, it was more of a free-for-all, with spectators walking amid the floats, stilted walkers, dancers and costumed figures. “If people wanted to join us, it was okay. But immediately, everyone was in the square and we couldn’t move anything. The artists were blocked in their place. Everyone wanted to be close to the artists and the floats,”