Aiello Carnival

The Aiello Carnival, a celebration of Irpinian winter

Every year, between February and March, the Aiello Carnival turns Aiello del Sabato into a small, open-air stage. Located in the Irpinia area of the Avellino province in Campania, this town of just over four thousand residents stretches along the Sabato valley, only a few kilometers from the provincial capital. Here, Carnival is not just a commercial event but a community ritual, built and renewed year after year by the Pro Loco of Aiello del Sabato, an association founded in 1981 dedicated to promoting local traditions and flavors.

The parade of allegorical floats

The visual heart of the festival is the parade of allegorical floats, crafted in the preceding months by groups of volunteers, families, and local youth. The procession does not stay in the main square but travels throughout the municipality: it traditionally starts in the Sabina area, while the grand finale involves the hamlet of Tavernola San Felice and the town center, with floats and masked groups gathering near the «Regina Mundi» Oratory before arriving in Piazza Garibaldi. Following the floats are improvised masks, costumed groups, and music that accompanies the parade from one neighborhood to the next.

The Zeza di Cesinali, an intangible heritage of Campania

The most anticipated event is the arrival of the Zeza di Cesinali, recognized as Intangible Heritage of the Campania Region. The Zeza is a popular farce of Neapolitan origin, performed and sung exclusively by men, depicting the stories of Pulcinella, his wife Zeza, and their daughter Vincenzella: a form of street theater filled with dialect verses, tarantella music, and vibrant costumes. In Aiello del Sabato, Piazza Garibaldi provides the perfect backdrop for this performance. For visitors from outside the region, it is the best opportunity to understand the true essence of an Irpinian carnival: it is not just about floats, but above all about song, rhythm, and communal comedy.

The masquerade ball and the Carnival pastiera

The longest-running tradition of the Aiello festival is the masquerade ball hosted at the Pro Loco headquarters, which reached its 32nd edition in 2025: over thirty years of events that conclude the festivities with music, costumes, and conviviality. The ball is accompanied by free tastings of the traditional Carnival pastiera, a specialty that has always marked this time of year in Irpinia, which the Pro Loco continues to prepare and offer to participants.

A festival designed for children

The Aiello Carnival dedicates plenty of space to families. In recent editions, the program has included entertainment and snacks organized by «Progetto Irpinia» and a puppet show by the «La Bottega del Sottoscala» theater company—two events held in the afternoon, before or during the parade, making the day suitable for even the youngest guests.

Aiello del Sabato in the Irpinian Carnival circuit

The Aiello Carnival is part of the Irpinian Carnivals circuit promoted by the Province of Avellino, which brings together some of the most iconic events in inland Campania: the tarantella of Montemarano, the Teora Carnival with its «Squacqualacchiun», the Mascarata of Serino, the Laccio d'Amore, and of course the Zeza. Visitors to Aiello del Sabato can easily build an itinerary covering several nearby towns, from Cesinali to Atripalda, from Altavilla Irpina to Avellino, all reachable within a few minutes by car.

Why it is worth visiting

• An authentic carnival, free of charge and without large stages, experienced by the town's residents.
• The chance to see the Zeza live, a unique form of popular theater in Italy.
• A distinct gastronomic tradition, with Carnival pastiera offered for tasting.
• Its proximity to Avellino, making the event easily accessible as a day trip from Naples or Salerno.