Amore in Maschera (Orsogna Carnival)

Amore in Maschera, the Orsogna Carnival

Amore in Maschera is the Carnival celebration that brings the historic center of Orsogna to life, a village of just over three thousand inhabitants in the province of Chieti, in the heart of the Abruzzo countryside. The event is organized by the "Raffaele Paolucci" Pro Loco of Orsogna APS and chooses a unique date—Valentine's Day—to weave together two seemingly distant worlds: the romance of February 14th and the lightheartedness of Carnival masks.

With the slogan "Romance and joy: a masquerade Valentine's Day for adults and children," the event offers an evening of celebration open to everyone, where couples, families, and children can gather in the streets and squares of the town in costume. It is an intimate, village-style formula, far from the large allegorical floats of more famous parades, which highlights the communal dimension of the Abruzzo Carnival.

An evening in the heart of the village

Amore in Maschera takes place in the historic center of Orsogna, among the streets that climb toward the square and the avenue named after Raffaele Paolucci, a physician and historical figure linked to the town. The evening focuses on bringing people together: music, entertainment, the colors of the masks, and the festive atmosphere that traditionally accompanies the Carnival season. Choosing to coincide with Valentine's Day transforms the festival into an occasion for couples as well, without sacrificing the involvement of the little ones.

Carnival with the Pro Loco of Abruzzo

The event is included in the regional "Carnival with the Pro Loco of Abruzzo" program, promoted by UNPLI Abruzzo, which brings together over thirty Carnival events distributed across the region's provinces. It is a project that aims to promote Carnival as an intangible cultural heritage, made up of rituals, traditions, shows, and food and wine events animated by the volunteer work of the Pro Loco.

Orsogna and its Carnival tradition

Orsogna boasts a very particular Carnival tradition, linked to the so-called "three Thursdays" that precede Shrove Tuesday: the Thursday of Friends, the Thursday of Relatives, and Fat Thursday. These are days when the entire community celebrates, first among friends, then with family, with convivial lunches and dinners, according to a custom that the people of Orsogna cherish as their own. Amore in Maschera fits into this festive fabric, re-proposing the spirit of sharing of the town's Carnival in a contemporary key.

Known as the "City of Wine" and famous for the evocative Festa dei Talami—living biblical tableaux recognized as an Italian Heritage tradition—Orsogna confirms with this event the vitality of its popular festivals and the deep bond between the community and its cultural roots.