Carnival in the Square

Carnival in the Square in Carpi

Carnival in the Square is the great Carnival celebration of the Municipality of Carpi, in the province of Modena, in the heart of Emilia-Romagna. One Sunday in February, the elegant Piazza dei Martiri — one of the largest and most scenic arcaded squares in Italy — fills with colors, confetti, and music for an entirely free event open to everyone, designed especially for families and children.

The Mostardino, Carpi's Mask

The symbolic heart of the festival is the Mostardino, the traditional Carpi mask that returned to parade after almost a century of absence. Recognizable by its white and red jacket in the city's colors and its hat made of wood shavings, a typical local craft, the Mostardino wields a blowpipe for his sharp jokes and a small mortar for grinding spices. From the Town Hall balcony, he delivers the traditional sproloquio (speech) in dialect, an ironic and affectionate satire on the year's events, performed by actor Guido Grazzi of the dialect theater company La Vintarola.

The Parade of Floats and Schools

The most anticipated moment is the parade of floats and masked groups that liven up the historic center. The protagonists are the local schools, from nurseries to primary schools, which each year involve dozens of institutions in creating colorful costumes and floats. The descent of the Battaglione Estense from the Clock Tower, with its dancing choreography, opens the procession that crosses the square amidst music and celebration.

Music, Entertainment, and Tradition

The day is accompanied by music and entertainment, activities for children, and street artist performances. Carnival in the Square is organized by the association Bambininfesta with the contribution of the Municipality of Carpi and has established itself in just a few years as one of the most cherished events in the city's calendar, capable of drawing thousands of people to Piazza dei Martiri.

Carpi and its Carnival

Part of the Carnival tradition of Emilia-Romagna, the Carpi Carnival combines the popular dimension of a village festival with the rediscovery of a historic local mask, the Mostardino, returning a piece of its identity to the community. An authentically Carpi celebration that enhances the historic center and its extraordinary Renaissance arcades.