Castelveterese Carnival 2024

Sunday 4 February will see the start of one of the most awaited events in Irpinia, the Castelveterese Carnival.
The event takes place on Sunday and the following Shrove Tuesday with parades through the main city streets of masked groups, folklore ballets and colorful allegorical papier-mâché floats. The Castelveterese Carnival is among the most artistic and renowned Carnivals of Irpinia and the Campania Region.

In Castelvetere the Carnival is a tradition that dates back to 1683 and found expression in the artisanal rivalries of the two agglomerations of the Castle and the Plain which, after the Second World War, took the name of Piazza and Via Roma. The division has migratory origins: the first faction, the historic center of the town, was made up of families from Castelveteresi for generations; the second, which takes its name from the street that unites the various artisan areas, occupied by families who migrated from nearby towns.
The Carnival therefore compared artisanal individualities, spurred by the playful desire to make fun of the characters of the opposing faction. The ferocious satire, which sometimes even resulted in physical clashes, was meticulously managed: the floats were built in secret places, and the subjects they were inspired by were also secret to prevent the other party from responding with another allegorical float to the mockery of the one presented .

The tarantella remains the bastion of ancient splendor, whose masked group can never be missing in every edition of the Carnival. At the end of the parade all the groups, as well as the spectators, pour into the square of Castelvetere to let loose in this ancient and engaging dance, typical of upper Irpinia.

Complete Program

Sunday 4 February 2024

10:00 am – Trekking on Mount Tuoro by “Irpinia trekking”

11.30 am – Children's Carnival: “the research train” – “Bamble Bee robot Transformer” – “La Mansarda theater of the ogre” – “Montella Ghostbusters kids” – Piazza Monumento

12.00 pm – Tarantella Montemaranese School – Through the streets of the town

2.00 pm – ZEZA of Cesinali – Through the streets of the town

3.00 pm – Start of parade of dance groups and allegorical floats – Through the streets of the town

7.30 pm – Dancing in the square – Piazza Monumento

Saturday 10 February

11.00 am – The school carnival organized by “A. Di Meo ” Fiorentino Sullo di Castelvetere – Piazza Monumento

Sunday 11 February

10.30 am – Tour of the villages through the ancient palata by “Erranti Souls”

11.30am - Children's Carnival "The Neverending Story" workshop organized by Ets "the smile of Daniel ODV" - Piazza Monumento

12.00 pm – Popular dances and sounds by “Tarantarte ed Allargate il Cerchio” – Through the streets of the country

2.00 pm – Traveling musical group: “Boomerang Orkestra” – Through the streets of the country

3.00 pm – Start of parade of dance groups and allegorical floats – Through the streets of the town

7.00 pm – DJ Set “VINYL GIANPY” – Piazza Monumento

Tuesday 13 February

11.00 am – Exhibition of allegorical floats – Piazza Monumento

12.00 pm – Children's Carnival “The research train” – Piazza Monumento

3.00 pm – Start of parade of dance groups and allegorical floats – Through the streets of the town

7.00 pm – Dancing in the square – Piazza Monumento

Saturday 17 February

10.30 am – Walk through the village and surrounding woods by “Erranti Souls”

6.00 pm – Exhibition of allegorical floats – Piazza Monumento

7.30 pm – Borgo in Maschera – traveling music and shows: “Scuola di Taranatella Montemaranese” – “Boomerang Orkestra” – “Bakkano Sound” – Historic center

11pm – Dead Carnival Procession and reading of the Testament – ​​Historic centre

11.30pm – DJ set “Doto DJ and A.Meriano” – Sala Fiorentino Sullo

12.00 am – Carnovale is dead, long live Carnovale, o' cuonsolo, dancing and revelry at the end of the morning