Aidone Carnival

The Aidone Carnival: A living tradition of central Sicily

In Aidone, a small town in the Province of Enna overlooking the central Sicilian plateau, the Carnival is more than just a costume party: it is a ritual of identity that the town has jealously guarded for centuries. The origins of the event date back to the 14th century, when—according to local tradition—peasants would use disguises to sneak into the homes of landowners to be offered a glass of wine, transforming their appearance and creating moments of great hilarity.

The "Festini" and the scotz dance

The beating heart of the Aidone Carnival are the "Festini", private masked balls that are open to uninvited guests, provided they are in costume. According to custom, masked strangers enter shouting "Gghj' n'è f'stingh?" ("is there a party?") and, once inside, are entitled to dance two dances of their choice. The music that accompanies them is the frantic rhythm of the scotz, a figure dance similar to the polka and one of the oldest in Sicily: once widespread throughout the island, it survives today only in a few towns like Aidone, Petralia, and Gangi. The scotz is danced in pairs or groups, with a fun game of swapping partners, spins, and jumps that involves children, teenagers, adults, and the elderly alike.

Masks and the float parade

Among the traditional masks, the "u c'ddazz" (the big bird) stands out—a figure rendered unrecognizable in both voice and appearance, who delights in confusing and amusing the onlookers. Alongside the Festini, the most anticipated and popular moment is the parade of allegorical floats and masked groups that travels through the historic center amidst music, confetti, and entertainment for all ages, culminating in the final awards ceremony for the best floats and costumes.

The "longest carnival"

The Aidone Carnival is known as the "longest carnival" because it does not end on Shrove Tuesday: the tradition continues on the Saturday after Ash Wednesday and concludes with the famous Carnevalone, the final "sdirria," perhaps a legacy of the Ambrosian carnival of the distant Lombard ancestors who repopulated the village. This continuity makes this festival much more than an event: it is an intangible heritage that binds the generations of Aidone and the entire Province of Enna.