Baraonda — The Carnival of Fermo and Porto San Giorgio

A Carnival with two hands between Fermo and Porto San Giorgio

Baraonda is much more than a simple village festival: it is the Carnival that unites two nearby cities, Fermo and Porto San Giorgio, under a single grand direction. For over a decade, the two Municipalities of the Fermo area, in the province of Fermo (Marche), have chosen to merge their respective carnival traditions into a shared program that unfolds over about twenty days, from the lighting of the lantern to the final burning of King Carnival. The Carnival of Fermo boasts a history spanning decades and is recognized by the Ministry of Culture as a historic Carnival, a recognition that certifies its identity and popular value.

Traditional Masks

Each city brings its own symbolic figures. In Fermo, Mengone Torcicolli and his wife Lisetta, historical masks of local tradition, reign supreme, while in Porto San Giorgio, Lu Cucà, the seagull in Sangiorgese dialect, dominates. Alongside them parade the King Carnivals of the two cities and Queen Lent, protagonists of the final rite. It is these masks that open the parades and guide the public through the streets of the center.

Parades, Shows, and Entertainment

The Baraonda program alternates grand parades of masked groups with contemporary circus shows, street theatre, acrobatics, parties, games in the square, and entertainment for children. Thousands of masked participants, schools, associations, and citizens of all ages participate in the creation of the festival. In Fermo, the heart of the event is the grand parade in Piazza del Popolo, while in Porto San Giorgio, Shrove Tuesday concludes with a parade through the streets of the center and the evocative burning of King Carnival.

The Burning of King Carnival

The most anticipated moment is the finale in Porto San Giorgio: in Piazza delle Marine, the trial, condemnation, testament, and burning of King Carnival, a puppet several meters high, take place, symbolically set ablaze. It is the rite that closes Carnival and marks the transition to Lent, an ancient tradition that is renewed every year in Fermo and Porto San Giorgio amidst music, applause, and fireworks.

An Event for the Entire Community

Baraonda is a popular, free, and widespread festival, designed to involve the entire community of the Fermo territory. Organized by the Municipalities of Fermo and Porto San Giorgio, the event attracts visitors from all over the province and the Marche region every year, confirming itself as one of the most colorful and beloved events of the Marche winter.