Carnevale in Piazza

The Carnival of Santa Maria la Fossa

Carnevale in Piazza is the Carnival event promoted by the municipal administration of Santa Maria la Fossa, a small town of just under 2,500 inhabitants in the province of Caserta, Campania. This is not a monumental carnival with papier-mâché floats; it is an authentic village festival built around children, schools, and the town's main square. For this very reason, it retains a familiar character that has been lost in more famous, large-scale events.

Piazza Europa, the heart of the festival

The entire event is concentrated in Piazza Europa, the public space in front of the town hall in the center of the village. This is where the masked procession converges, where the shows are set up, and where the community gathers for the entire afternoon. The choice of a single location, easily accessible on foot from anywhere in the town, makes the event accessible even to families with very young children and the elderly.

The school parade

The highlight is the masked parade of kindergarten and elementary school students, who travel from their schools to the square in a procession, accompanied by teachers and parents. The costumes are those prepared in class and at home in the preceding weeks: there is no competition or jury, just a collective parade involving the entire school-age population of the town. It is the way the Municipality has chosen to give continuity to the local Carnival tradition, entrusting it to the new generations.

Street performers, music, and magic

Once they reach Piazza Europa, the program opens up to performances. The 2025 edition featured:

• Street performers, with entertainment acts suitable for audiences of all ages;
• DJ sets with live music in the square to accompany the dancing and festivities;
• Magic show, one of the most anticipated moments for children;
• Entertainment and recreational activities organized by the municipality.

All this in a compact format, concentrated into a single afternoon, which concludes before evening.

A free festival for the whole community

The invitation extended by the Municipality is explicitly addressed to the entire community: participation is free and open to all, with no tickets or reservations required. Carnevale in Piazza is part of the official calendar of municipal events, alongside other traditions that mark the year in Santa Maria la Fossa, from the Living Nativity at the end of December to the Good Friday rites, with the procession that crosses the town center.

Santa Maria la Fossa and the Volturno Plain

Santa Maria la Fossa stands just 16 meters above sea level, on the left bank of the Volturno river, in the Mazzoni Plain, in the territory historically known as Terra di Lavoro. It is an agricultural landscape of fields, canals, and farms: here, the economy has always revolved around fruit and vegetables and, above all, buffalo farming, the basis for the production of Mozzarella di Bufala Campana. The town, whose Romanesque-Lombard church dates back to 1084, has been an autonomous municipality since 1907, when it separated from Grazzanise. Those arriving for the Carnival will therefore find a rural and intimate setting, far from the tourist circuits of the nearby Royal Palace of Caserta, but perfect for understanding how a village festival is truly experienced in the Caserta province.

When it takes place

The event traditionally falls in February, during the Carnival period. The 2025 edition was held on Thursday, February 27, 2025, in Piazza Europa. The Municipality has not yet released an official date for the next edition: it is advisable to follow the Events section of the official website, where the event is published a few days in advance.