Bornate Carnival

The Carnival that unites Bornate

In Bornate, a hamlet of Serravalle Sesia in the Province of Vercelli, the Carnival is more than just a party: it is the time of year when the entire community gathers around its traditions. It is organized by the Comitato Benefico Bornatese, a group of volunteers active year-round, who, together with the committees of the main town, Piane, and Nobili, form the mosaic of the municipality's four carnivals. It is an authentic folk event, far from mass tourism but rich in warmth and participation.

Four days of celebration in the Valsesia valley

The program unfolds over a long weekend in February, alternating between social gatherings and collective rituals. It opens with an inaugural dinner accompanied by entertainment, continues with the characteristic tour of the farmhouses starting from the square and involving local families, and reaches its festive heart with the Children's Carnival and the costume parade. There is also the Grand Carnival Dinner with live music, a true meeting point for the Bornate community.

The fagiolata and the reading of the will

The most anticipated moment is the fagiolata: the distribution of the traditional bean soup to the entire population, a ritual of sharing rooted in the rural culture of the Valsesia valley. The festival concludes with the reading of the will, an ironic and popular moment where the year's events in the village are summarized. A tradition that, like in many Piedmontese carnivals, blends satire, collective memory, and a sense of belonging.

A celebration for the whole community

The Bornate Carnival is above all an opportunity to be together: the proceeds from the dinners and initiatives support the charitable activities of the Committee, which is also committed to projects for the hamlet throughout the year. Visiting it means discovering the most genuine side of the Valsesia valley, where villages cherish their customs and pass them on with pride, in a corner of upper Piedmont at the foot of Monte Rosa.