Trois Joyeuses: Carnival

Me and my teammates!

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  Rio and New Orleans are renowned for their Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) celebrations. The masks, the colors, the beads, the over-the-top festivities. We've all seen the video and pictures, if we haven't been fortunate (or crazy?) enough to attend the celebration in person.

  With a little less fame, but just as much (if not more) excitement, energy, and spirit, the apex of the Dunkerque Carnival should be mentioned alongside festivities in New Orleans and Rio. There's one difference however. In Dunkerque, culmination of Carnival, known as trois joyesuses (three joyous days) does indeed last for THREE JOYOUS DAYS.

Dunkerque Town Hall.

  Sunday afternoon I again donned my green 'leprechaun' costume, outfitted with face paint and a green boa, and headed out to celebrate Carnival with my Dunkerquoise friends. This time we were headed downtown, to the city hall. The main event of fish and lobster throwing was to get underway at 5pm. But by the time we got into the city around 4, the streets were already crawling with costumed, drumming, happy party-goers.

  The celebration actually got started much earlier in the day. Sunday morning (while I was still sleeping), a group of infamous Carnival-goers called Los Beitounos, host a chapelle in downtown Dunkerque. For clarification, chapelle has nothing to do with church or a chapel. It's actually hosting your friends for food and drink before (and after) attending a Carnival celebration.

  We made our way through the blocked-off streets, and found a spot to wait til the clock turned five. As it got nearer, the city hall plaza got more and more crowded.

  I was only expecting the balcony doors to open at five, and for the mayor to start his annual throwing of fish. As you can see from the video below, I was caught off guard when a parade of people and band players came charging into where we were standing! Once we cleared out of the way, we settled back in and the balcony doors opened, and finally the mayor emerged.

  For 20-30 minutes, plastic-wrapped herring was thrown out into the crowd (you could later see people eating it). We were at the back of the plaza, out of harm's way. From the looks of it, the area in front of the balcony was like a war zone. Hoards of people jockeying for position and fighting to catch one of the prizes.

  In those 20-30 minutes, 6 toy lobsters were also thrown into the crowd. If you were lucky enough to snatch a lobster, you could trade in the toy at a fish market for some real lobster. However, the lobsters are something like a trophy, and many times, the toy is kept as a memento.

Aftermath of the fish & lobster throw.

  Once the lobster and fish throwing was over, the crowd dispersed. My friends and I wandered to the front of the plaza to see the remnants of the 'war zone'. Confetti, feather boas, shoes, cell phones, broken bottles, garbage, you name it, and it was lying there, mangled on the ground.

  We then met up with some other teammates, and waited for the final event of the night. After mingling and enjoying 1-2 euro rosé, sangria, and beer for a couple of hours, the night came to an end with the procession at Jean Bart Plaza.

  It was much like the events of the Bal du Chat Noir, where a band in the center of the ball room played Carnival songs while revelers sang, and took part in a circular march around the stage. Only this time the band was at the center of Jean Bart plaza.

  The march commenced at 7pm, and continued for an hour. It is said that you can see steam coming from the crowd, but I can neither confirm nor deny this tale.

Walking towards Jean Bart Plaza.

  After being outside in the chilly 40-degree F temperatures for nearly four hours, I had had enough of the Carnival fun. And with that, Carnival 2012 ended on Sunday night (for me)!

  However the rest of Dunkerque continued with the final two days of trois joyeuses. On Monday, there was a similar celebration at the Citadelle (or the Dunkerque Harbor). And the three joyous days came to an end on Tuesday with the parade through the streets of Rosendaël (a small neighborhood in Dunkerque).

  So Carnival is finally over, right? Nope. Not here in Dunkerque. The celebrations continue this weekend on the beach (in my neighborhood, Malo les Bains -- but I'll be out of town), and then finally Carnaval de Dunkerque comes to an end the next two weekends with two final balls.

  It's been a unique and wonderful experience. And who knows, maybe I'll be around next year to celebrate again!

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....more pictures below!

RELATED POSTS:

Bal du Chat Noir

Carnival: Let the Madness Begin

Cool Blog with lots of Carnival Pictures!

Waiting for things to start.

My costume!

Here comes the band!

Lost in a sea of colors and umbrellas.

The mayor throwing fish & lobster.

A look into the night sky.

Aurélie with the girls!

My First Carnival: Bal du Chat Noir

V, Bruno, and me!!

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  It's been a difficult process getting this blog written today. Maybe my struggle comes from the lack of sleep I've had in the past few days. Or maybe it's because I keep getting distracted by the random post-Carnival neon green, pink, or blue feathers floating around my apartment.

  Either way, I have finally put the right words together to sum up my first Carnival experience!

  To tell you the truth, going into Saturday night (and the Bal du Chat Noir), I thought Carnival was just another excuse people used to drink excessively and act crazy (which still might be the case for some). And knowing it was going to be after a difficult French Cup game versus Mondeville (that we lost, by the way), I didn't have high expectations for the night.

  But two days removed from Saturday night at the ball, I can genuinely say I found Carnaval de Dunkerque to be all about camaraderie, friendship, and tradition. And it was a blast.

Ready for Carnival!

  Honestly, I've never seen anything like it. I had seen pictures and heard stories, but the atmosphere and my experience surpassed any expectations I may have had.

  The friends I would be attending the Bal du Chat Noir with, came to my game dressed in their Carnival attire. After the game, and after I finished my post-game duties as a DMBC player, we raced to my apartment so I could get into costume as well.

  My friends V and Valerie were in charge of my costume and makeup. They basically had free-rein to do whatever they wanted (which is something not too many people get to do with me! But they are Carnival vets, and I had to make sure I looked the part!).  After the quick transformation from basketball player to leprechaun (that's what I felt like anyway!), we made the five minute walk down the boardwalk to the Dunkerque Kursaal, and the start of the ball.

Leprechaun???

  I was excited, but didn't quite know what to expect. My teammates and people who knew I was going to the ball told me: bon courage as I left the gym (basically meaning, good luck). We went through a quick security check, and filed into the Kursaal along with thousands of other partiers.

  My first thought as we made our way through the crowd of colorful costumed Frenchmen: these people are crazy! Seriously. It was a spectacle in every sense of the word.

Finally ready to go! Me, Val, and V.

The Costumes 
  Every color in the rainbow was represented, and usually, all on the same person. Umbrellas stretched 15 feet into the air. Men were dressed as women (something I think they look forward to doing each year when Carnival rolls around). Jackets were covered with pins and other mementos representing Carnival from years prior. Faces and hair were covered in sparkles. And hats. Hats on the men seemed to be a must. They were covered in flowers and other trinkets. And again, the more color, the better.

  But regardless of costume, it seemed every person at the ball wore a huge smile. Including me.

The Ball
  We arrived just after midnight, which just so happened to be when the 'parade' inside the Kursaal began. In the center of the huge ball room was a circular stage where a band played. And on the outskirts of the room were various bar areas where people could mingle and socialize (and get more drinks, obviously).

  It was in between the circular stage and the bar areas where the real action of Carnival happened. Starting at midnight, the bravest Carnival-goers continuously walked the Kursaal loop (around the stage), singing Carnival songs at the top of their lungs.

  At 1 AM, the 'parade' dispersed, and regular music continued. The paraders took about an hour break (to rest and refuel), only to resume laps around the Kursaal at 2 AM. This went on the entire night. Until 5 AM. Gives another meaning to the word endurance!

  Even if people weren't taking part in parading around the ballroom, they were singing. Singing was the most-overpowering sound from the night (that, and horns anyway). Every person in the room knew every word to every song (except me!). They sang it loud, and they sang it very proud!

Cyrille, V, & Seb.

The History
  I made sure to find out why Carnival is such an important event in Dunkerque. Historically, Dunkerque was a fisherman town. Late-winter every year, the fishermen would set sail for Iceland. Unsure if they would return, the townspeople started the tradition of Carnival to send them off after a great time celebrating together. And the history of Carnaval de Dunkerque was born.

  As word spread that there was an American celebrating her first Carnival in the room (I think people overheard English being spoken), the most common questions I got were: "What do you think of Carnival?" and "There is nothing like this anywhere else in the world, is there?" My answers ranged from Carnival is: 'Impeccable,' 'Insane,' 'Crazy,' 'Unbelievable,' and 'Fun'; to: 'I have never seen anything like this.'

This picture makes me laugh--Brubru & Guilb.

  As I answered their questions, I could see the pride on their faces. The Dunkerquoise have a huge reputation to uphold in having the greatest Carnival in France after all!

  They showed me a great time, and it's safe to say it's a night I won't soon forget! I realized towards the end of the night that my cheeks were hurting from laughing and smiling so much. A pretty good sign that you're having a great time, isn't it?!?

  Thanks to V, Bruno, Guilb, Cyrille, Valerie, Seb, Brian, Maurice, Melanie, Bebert, and all the others for sharing your awesome tradition with an outsider, and making sure I had a great Carnaval experience!!

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 ....a few more pictures & video below...

Val getting me ready to go!

Cyrille & V got a hold of my camera!

Inside the ball.

Bruno & Guilb.

A look from the bar area into the stage.

Let the Carnival Madness Begin

Carnival in Dunkerque!

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  Ready or not, Carnival season is upon us. Ever since I set foot onto Dunkerque soil this past August, I have heard, almost on a weekly basis, about the extravagant Carnival celebration that takes place in the Northern French city.

  After hearing about it, and reading about it, I am as ready as I'll ever be to partake in the madness.

  For whatever reason (maybe this will be answered for me on Saturday), Dunkerque's Carnival, to my understanding, is the biggest in all of France. This year, the celebrations last from January 22nd until March 10th.

  Every weekend, for those seven weeks, there are processions and balls in Dunkerque, and smaller outlying villages. It is a common sight to see men wearing women's dresses, and women in fancy, colorful costumes. Everyone with their faces painted.

  On the Sunday before Ash Wednesday (mid-February this year), a parade makes its way through Dunkerque city center under the 'protection' of Reuze Papa and his family. The costumed Carnival-goers, who carry colorful umbrellas and sing carnival songs, and an Imperial drum major lead the way for Reuze Papa and family.

Procession with Reuze Papa and family.

  The procession (that involves herring-throwing in front of the city hall) goes through the city center, and ends in Jean Bart Plaza.

  On many Saturday nights during Carnival, the party continues at the Dunkerque Kursaal, where a series of balls are held (and also happens to be a five minute walk down the boardwalk from my apartment).

  The climax of the nearly three month celebration is, of course, Mardi Gras.

  This Saturday evening I'll be at one of the balls held at Dunkerque Kursaal. All I have been told is to avoid the middle of the room at midnight. I have no idea why, but if that's the ONE thing Carnival-veterans have made sure to tell me, you can bet I will be following their advice!!

  I have a costume, but I'll save pictures and descriptions of that for later! The theme of the ball is Bal du Chat Noir (Ball of the Black Cat). You can be sure I'll be sticking by my friend, V's side!

  It'll be an interesting night to say the least. We have a game Saturday night, prior to the ball. And depending on how that goes, I'll either be in a really good mood, or an incredibly bad one. So my level of tolerance may vary. Huge crowds of crazy people usually aren't my forte, but I'll do my best to have a great time and enjoy the Dunkerque Carnival-spirit!

  Hopefully I'll have lots of pictures, and a few videos for you all next week.

  Let the fun begin!

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LINKS:

Dunkerque Carnival Info