Carnevalando in Casoli

Carnevalando in Casoli

Carnevalando in Casoli is the Carnival festival that paints the village of Casoli, a town in the province of Chieti, Abruzzo, with color every year. Established in 2023 by the Cuore Casolano Association, the event has quickly become one of the most anticipated winter highlights in Casoli, bringing together children, families, and costumed groups along the historic center's streets.

The Costume Parade

The heart of the festival is the costume parade that winds through the town. The gathering takes place in the historic center, and the colorful procession—filled with costumes, confetti, and joy—makes its way to the main squares, including Piazza Santa Reparata and Piazza Brigata Maiella, where the main festivities take place with music, entertainment, and awards.

Entertainment and Shows

The program is designed to delight both young and old. Past editions have featured magic shows, fakirs, fire performers, mascots, stilt walkers, roving musical groups, and the charming presence of "Lu Scaricarèlle", a traditional local mask. There is also a costume contest that rewards the most original masks and groups, celebrating the creativity and effort of the participants.

The Pupa Dance

The most iconic and heartfelt moment is the Pupa Dance, an ancient Abruzzese tradition that concludes the festival. The Pupa is a large papier-mâché puppet shaped like a female figure, animated by a person hidden inside who dances in the square to the rhythm of the music. Fireworks are mounted on the structure and ignited during the dance, creating a pyrotechnic spectacle that blends folklore, popular tradition, and community spirit.

Local Hospitality

To round off the day, free pasta e fagioli is served to everyone—a simple, convivial dish of Abruzzese cuisine offered to attendees as a sign of hospitality. This is how the Cuore Casolano Association renews the spirit of the festival: a grassroots, free, and inclusive Carnival where popular tradition meets family fun.

A Carnival for Casoli and the Sangro Valley

Perched on a hill between the Aventino and Sangro river valleys and dominated by the Ducal Castle, Casoli is one of the most characteristic villages in the Chieti area, located at the gateway to the Majella National Park. Carnevalando in Casoli highlights the town's historic center, transforming it for a day into the stage for a celebration that keeps the Abruzzese Carnival tradition alive.