Carvè Vej

A carnival as a collective ritual

The Carvè Vej — literally "the old carnival" in the Piedmontese dialect — is the carnival celebration of Montaldo Roero, a town of a few hundred inhabitants nestled on the Rocche del Roero, in the province of Cuneo (Piedmont). This is no ordinary parade: the organizers describe it as a true collective ritual, a moment when the community gathers to celebrate its own history through masks and fire.

The day: from polenta to the bonfire

The festivities begin at noon with lunch in the Polifunzionale hall: a grand polenta feast prepared by the "Sotto il campanile" association and paired with local wines from the Roero region. It is the first act of community, gathered around the table, before the party moves to the square.

In the afternoon, the town center, Piazza Aldo Viglione, comes alive with the arrival of masked participants. The streets become an open-air folk theater, featuring traditional Roero carnival songs and performances by local troupes.

The trial of Giaco Tross

The symbolic heart of the event is the "Trial of Giaco Tross", a theatrical performance staged by local companies. Giaco Tross is the puppet that embodies the winter to be cast away and the fears to be consigned to the purifying fire: after the "trial," the ritual bonfire symbolically closes the cold season and welcomes spring. This custom links Montaldo Roero to the most ancient folk traditions of northern Italy, where carnival has always been a time of subversion and rebirth.

Music, theater, and workshops

• Compagnia dei magnin: traditional Roero carnival songs
• "Der Roche" and "I germogli" theater companies: the performance of the trial of Giaco Tross
• "Brando" dance, a traditional dance accompanying the bonfire ritual
• Children's exhibition and face-painting workshop for the little ones

A Roero tradition

Carvè Vej is organized by the Municipality of Montaldo Roero together with the Ente Manifestazioni, the same entities that enliven the town's calendar with other traditional Roero events. It is an authentic festival, far from the large tourist carnivals, perfect for those who want to discover the most genuine face of the Roero hills in the province of Cuneo.