When Life Gives You Lemons Party At The Lemon Festival

140 tons of citrus are used to create floats and exhibits for the annual Lemon Festival.

The theme of the 2006 Menton Lemon Festival was Carnivals of the World: India.

Despite all the yellow citrus fruit’s uses—like helping detoxify your liver, lightening your hair and stimulating your metabolism—the French city of Menton has come up with the lemon’s best and perhaps most extravagant use ever. Say hello to the Fête du Citron, a unique lemon festival that brings more than 160,000 tourists to the southeastern France city every spring.

Nicknamed the Cité des Citrons (the City of Lemons), the Mediterranean city has produced lemons since the 15th century. After becoming the continent’s largest producer of the fruit, a local hotelier decided to create a flower and citrus exhibition in 1929. The exposition was a success, and in 1934 the municipality officially created the first Fête du Citron.

These days, it takes a small army of workers—more than 300 to be exact—to pull off the lemon festival. More than 140 tons of lemons and oranges are used to construct massive floats and exhibits that brighten up the city streets. As day turns to night, the festival kicks it up a notch with the Moonlit Parade and the Gardens of Light, which feature expertly-lit citrus floats.

Check out these incredible images of the lemon festival from years past. And remember, there’s still time to buy tickets to see the 83rd annual lemon festival, which takes place in February 2016:

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1 of 24In 2015, the festival’s theme was Tribulations of a Lemon in China. Source: French People 2 of 24Source: Fête du Citron 3 of 24Source: Bug Bog 4 of 24In 2003, festival officials selected Alice in Wonderland as that year’s theme. Source: Dragon Prismal 5 of 24Viva España made the perfect theme for the 2005 festival. Source: Panoramio 6 of 24In 2006, the Fête du Citron theme was Carnivals of the World: Brazil. Source: Wikimedia 7 of 24Source: Bla Bla Car 8 of 24Source: Menton Daily Photo 9 of 24Source: Menton Daily Photo 10 of 24A float from the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea theme. Source: The Awesomer 11 of 24Source: VIP Studio 360 12 of 24Source: Petanque and Pastis 13 of 24Source: NieNiee 14 of 24The theme of Menton’s 2011 lemon festival was the Great Civilizations. Source: Le Blog d’Aventurine 15 of 24Source: Batalla de Flores 16 of 24Source: Menton Daily Photo 17 of 24An image from the 80th annual lemon festival. Source: Vos Vacances a Menton 18 of 24Source: Insight Vacations 19 of 24Source: Carnifest 20 of 24Source: Vos Photos 21 of 24Nighttime at the Fête du Citron is truly magical. Source: Life in Riviera 22 of 24Source: Travel Insider 23 of 24Source: Fête du Citron 24 of 24Like this gallery?Share it:

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When Life Gives You Lemons, Party At The Lemon Festival View Gallery

Since every festival has a different theme, the incredible citrus sculptures change every year. Past themes have included Pinocchio and Regions of France, but if you check out the complete list of themes since 1959, you’ll see that many honor other cultures and countries. Check out this drone footage from 2014, when the theme was 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea:

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1 of 24In 2015, the festival’s theme was Tribulations of a Lemon in China. Source: French People

2 of 24Source: Fête du Citron

3 of 24Source: Bug Bog

4 of 24In 2003, festival officials selected Alice in Wonderland as that year’s theme. Source: Dragon Prismal

5 of 24Viva España made the perfect theme for the 2005 festival. Source: Panoramio

6 of 24In 2006, the Fête du Citron theme was Carnivals of the World: Brazil. Source: Wikimedia

7 of 24Source: Bla Bla Car

8 of 24Source: Menton Daily Photo

9 of 24Source: Menton Daily Photo

10 of 24A float from the 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea theme. Source: The Awesomer

11 of 24Source: VIP Studio 360

12 of 24Source: Petanque and Pastis

13 of 24Source: NieNiee

14 of 24The theme of Menton’s 2011 lemon festival was the Great Civilizations. Source: Le Blog d’Aventurine

15 of 24Source: Batalla de Flores

16 of 24Source: Menton Daily Photo

17 of 24An image from the 80th annual lemon festival. Source: Vos Vacances a Menton

18 of 24Source: Insight Vacations

19 of 24Source: Carnifest

20 of 24Source: Vos Photos

21 of 24Nighttime at the Fête du Citron is truly magical. Source: Life in Riviera

22 of 24Source: Travel Insider

23 of 24Source: Fête du Citron

24 of 24Like this gallery?Share it:

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When Life Gives You Lemons, Party At The Lemon Festival View Gallery

When Life Gives You Lemons, Party At The Lemon Festival

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World’s Greatest Attractions covered the lemon festival, too. Here’s their review of the spectacular lemon festival:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=868yoqkm9ug

140 tons of citrus are used to create floats and exhibits for the annual Lemon Festival.#

140 tons of citrus are used to create floats and exhibits for the annual Lemon Festival.