Banchette Carnival
The historic Canavese Carnival featuring the Cossatera and the Cossatè
About Banchette Carnival
A Carnival with a Canavese heart
The Banchette Carnival is one of the most deeply rooted festivals in the Canavese, a hilly and morainic area within the Metropolitan City of Turin, in Piedmont, just a few kilometers from Ivrea. For over forty years, the town of Banchette has transformed into a small kingdom of fun, thanks to the dedication of the Circolo Banchette APS, which organizes the event under the patronage of the Municipality, Turismo Torino e Provincia, and AICS Torino APS.
The Cossatera and the Cossatè
The symbolic heart of the festival lies in its two traditional characters: the Cossatera and the Cossatè. Each year, a new couple is officially invested at the Banchette Castle, accompanied by their ladies-in-waiting and page boys, in a ceremony that kicks off the festivities. The outgoing characters join the Order of the Pumpkin Flowers, the guardians of the memory of all past editions.
Traditions and highlights
The program weaves together the most beloved local rituals:
- Investiture at the Castle and torchlight procession to the Circolo headquarters, followed by the balcony proclamation;
- Nighttime parade featuring illuminated allegorical floats, historical groups, and guest masks from Piedmont and the Aosta Valley;
- Burning of the Cossa, the symbolic bonfire that concludes the evening amidst singing and dancing;
- Bean Feast with the distribution of hearty beans and sausages, a moment of popular conviviality;
- School Carnival, involving hundreds of children from nurseries, kindergartens, primary and secondary schools with masquerade parades, sweets, and shows;
- Closing dinner to bid farewell to the carnival season.
Local masks
The Banchette Carnival is also an opportunity for historical masks from Piedmont and the surrounding areas to meet: from Turin's Gianduja and Giacometta to characters from Vercelli, Novara, Oleggio, Santhià, Rondissone, and Samone, as well as local historical groups like the Order of the Green Count of Banchette. A mosaic of traditions that tells the folkloric identity of the Canavese and the entire region.
A festival for the whole community
More than just a show, the Banchette Carnival is a participatory and heartfelt village festival where the municipal administration, associations, and citizens collaborate to keep a tradition alive that dates back to 1980. It is an ideal appointment to discover the authenticity of the Canavese and the warm hospitality of the Banchette community.
Banchette Carnival — edition 2026
47th edition (2026)
The 47th edition of the Banchette Carnival opened on Saturday, March 14, with the investiture of the new characters at the Castle, the handover from the outgoing Cossatè to the Order of the Pumpkin Flowers, the torchlight procession to the Circolo headquarters, and the balcony proclamation. The evening continued with the nighttime parade, the burning of the Cossa, and the midnight spaghetti party. On Sunday, March 15, the traditional bean feast took place with a visit to the Social Center; on Monday, March 16, the School Carnival involved about 400 children with a show by Mago Izio. The event concluded on Saturday, March 21, with a convivial dinner.
The 2026 Cossatera and Cossatè were Roberta Pellegrini and Alberto Enzo Loi, supported by ladies-in-waiting Marzia Laurenti, Emma Rosanna Fiore, and Cloe Fiore.
Programme Banchette Carnival 2026
- Saturday, March 14: Investiture of the Cossatè at the Castle, handover, torchlight procession, and proclamation; nighttime parade with illuminated floats, historical groups, and guests from Piedmont and the Aosta Valley; burning of the Cossa and midnight spaghetti party.
- Sunday, March 15 (10:30 AM): Traditional Bean Feast with distribution of hearty beans and sausages, and visit to the Social Center.
- Monday, March 16: School Carnival (nursery, kindergarten, primary, secondary), distribution of sweets and chocolates, show by Mago Izio.
- Saturday, March 21: Carnival closing dinner.
Highlights Banchette Carnival 2026
Prices Banchette Carnival 2026
Practical information — Banchette Carnival
How to get there
Banchette is located in the Canavese area, in the province of Turin, next to Ivrea. By car, it can be reached via the A5 Turin-Aosta motorway (Ivrea exit). By train, the reference station is Ivrea, on the Turin-Aosta line, just a few minutes from the center of Banchette.
When
The event takes place during the Carnival period, between late February and March, with events concentrated on the weekends.
Admission
Public events (parade, burning of the Cossa, bean feast) are free of charge. Some social events, such as the closing dinner, require a reservation and a participation fee.
Information
Program and details are available on the Circolo Banchette APS website.
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Where does it take place — Banchette Carnival
Castello di Banchette